Suspect
by BigElephantsAndUnicorns
Summary: DL, with the whole team involved. A case comes too close to home....what happens when more than emotional barriers are put between Danny and Lindsay? Set after 4.19.*First fan fiction*
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! Here's my first ever attempt at writing, let alone fan fiction, so I would really, really, really LOVE reviews and would appreciate ANY comments or suggestions.**

**This is based after the phone call at the end of 4.19. A different path of events after that point! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer – I do not own CSI NY or the characters – only in my wildest dreams!**

**Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine!**

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Danny Messer was distracted. Not only by the guitars blaring at him from the headphones in his ears but by his task in hand. He was going to sort this out, make it right, and tell her everything…today. He had been too distracted lately to realise what was going on around him….and he was too distracted now to hear his name being screamed repeatedly from somewhere behind him.

_(The night before…)_

_He had screwed up, he knew that much, and he hated himself for it. But he was not going to wallow in self pity as he had done so frequently recently. The only person who had even a glimmer of hope to sort this situation out was him…and he was not going to let the opportunity pass him by. Earlier that night he had talked to Lindsay on the phone, the first he'd properly talked to her in what felt like years. His heart shattered and was reawakened when he heard the pain in her voice he had caused, and that had made him determined to do whatever it was that he needed to do to make that pain go away. His immediate thought had been to go around to her place, with no agenda except to be honest with her for once. To let her back into his mind, which he kept so closed to all but a few, and let her make up her own mind about what she wanted to happen. However much he wanted her back so dearly, he had respect whatever decisions she made after he confessed all. It was him who had done the screwing up (quite literally) so it was she who got to decide what happened next. It was only fair, not that any of this was fair on Lindsay he thought._

_Unfortunately as he had just built up the guts to go to Lindsay's, his phone rang and it was Stella, telling him to come in early for his shift that night so they could get to work on the Cabbie Killer case, and under pressure he had agreed. _

So here he was now, 6am the next day just after his shift, yawning away and planning his morning: he was going to head straight out of the police department buildings and head home for a quick power nap and shower, wanting to be alert and ready for whatever lay ahead. So distracted was he by his iPod firmly in his ears that he missed the desperate cries across the precinct floors from the one person in the world he would do anything for. His colleague, his partner, his life…his Montana.


	2. Chapter 2

_A broad smile broke across Danny's face as he closed his eyes against the bright morning light now invading the stillness of his bedroom. The reason for the smile was that he had just woken up next to a beautiful woman. She had just turned over in her sleep and in the process had tickled Danny's face with her hair as she snuggled up into his chest and returned to a deep sleep. He remembered their exploits of the previous night (the smear of chocolate sauce on the bedpost an apt reminder) and thought of how he was truly the luckiest and happiest guy in the world. Danny shifted a bit to stretch himself awake and Lindsay tumbled off his chest so she was now lying on her front, the soft white bed sheets barely covering her ass. Every inch of her was perfect, Danny thought, as he lay there watching her pale skin glisten in the fresh morning light. He slowly and gently started to stroke a single finger down her spine, between her shoulder blades down to the curve of her ass. How he loved the shape the small of her back made. Perfectly placed kisses then also fell upon the line his finger had just travelled and she shivered, slowly opening her eyes._

"_Mornin' gorgeous", he smiled, voice full of sincerity._

"_Aren't we being nice'", she smiled as he placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Last night"', she pulled him in for a kiss and spoke the rest of her words into his mouth, "was amazing…" She was going to continue but he quickly deepened the kiss, and she was not about to stop him. Unfortunately though, somebody knocked on the door, again and again, and Danny eventually regained enough self control to go and answer the annoying noise. He quickly slung on some trackies and a vest while Lindsay remained laying on his bed, looking perfect._

"_Whatza time anyways?" she asked dozily, obviously content just to be lying there._

"_Only 7.30, this better be important…" he said as he almost drooled whilst watching a naked Lindsay stretch. He continued to grumble as he went across to answer the annoying noise still ringing in his ears…_

His hand eventually found his phone that was making that annoying ringing noise and he looked at the caller ID…it was Flack. He couldn't believe Flack had woken him from such a nice dream, the same dream he had been reliving in his sleep for the last couple of months. In his dream he was always back there, the night before Reuben died, the last time he had truly felt close to Lindsay before Reuben had persistently knocked on his door to take him to the Blessing of the Bikes at the church. That was the last time he had truly felt close to Lindsay, or felt anything except for guilt and despair and numbness. That was until that phone call with Lindsay last night when his senses had suddenly come alive again. He had started to remember how good life had been before it all and he was determined to continue on his path out of this spiral of self pity and loathing. This started off with telling Lindsay about Rikki. He disgusted himself even now, wondering why the hell he had even considered sleeping with her. He was so determined to go and see Lindsay, that he ignored Flack's call. If he answered he would have to go into work and, he would wuss out for sure. He'd taken his nap now and looking at the clock knew he still had 3 hours until Lindsay was on shift. This was his chance. He ignored the call, and then stared unbelievingly at his phone when it came up that he had received no less than 10 missed calls from Flack and Mac, and 3 voicemails in the half hour he'd been asleep. All the same, he got into the shower, dressed and left his apartment to go to Lindsay's. He had to get his priorities straight. And his top priority now, and would always be, Lindsay Monroe.

He barely had to think where he was going as he traced the familiar route to Lindsay's, stopping as usual at the Pretzel vender just down the road from his apartment. He was just about to devour the last mouthful as he turned the corner and saw Lindsay's apartment block in front of him. Usually it was one of the prettier ones in the city he thought, red brick with a big old tree out front and flowers in some of the windows. Today however, the tree and the apartment building were surrounded by police tape and numerous squad cars and other department vehicles. Danny stood there utterly confused at the situation, so bewildered that he even dropped that last tempting mouthful of pretzel. He then sprung into action, and took a quick pace up to the police barrier, flashing his badge as he ducked under it, a horrible worry beginning to rise in his chest. He got his phone out and speed dialled Lindsay – turned off. Shit. He had to find out what was going on, make sure Lindsay was okay…

"Hey, what going on here, what's happened?" he said almost accusatorially to a rookie uniform, who looked too petrified to answer.

"Err…homicide I think, stabbing it looks like, up on the… 3rd floor maybe I'm err…" he eventually managed to mumble, but this was not good enough for Danny, Lindsay's apartment was on the third floor.

"What do you mean 'maybe the third floor'? What the hell.."

"Danny", came the authoritarian voice of Mac Taylor, "It's okay, Lindsay's not hurt". Danny spun round, totally ignoring the unformed officer now, all focus on the words Mac had just said. "How come it took so long for you to get here Danny? I tried to get you over an hour ago but no answer". He looked questioningly at his CSI, he had been worried about him recently.

"Yeah sorry Mac, I erm…had stuff to sort out…..but Lindsay's okay then? Where is she, is she processing? What's happened in there anyway".

"No she's not processing. It's a little more complicated than that."

"Come on Mac, just tell me", Danny persisted.

'Ok, here it is…the police were called at about 4.30 this morning. When they arrived, there was a male DOA stabbed in one of the third floor apartments." Fear was growing in the pit of Danny's stomach and it showed on his face, but Mac continued. "It was Lindsay's apartment Danny, she was found at the scene, covered in blood and knife in hand. She's been taken in for questioning."

**AN: So there are the first 2 chapters as a little taster. R&R please? I've got the next part of the story planned out so if people like it I'll carry on writing! Thanks for reading this far!**

**(Just to make sure everyone got it - the first part of this chapter in italics is a dream)**


	3. Chapter 3

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**Thank you to all you lovely people who reviewed and/or added me to you alerts/favourites. I'm really glad you enjoyed the first bit and hope you like the rest. I would LOVE more reviews please, and if any one has any suggestions or anything they would like to see happen here, then just tell me and I shall try to make it happen!**

**(As usual, I own nothing and this is all unbeta'd)**

Danny crashed through the police department swing doors, looking for answers…and Lindsay. He was stopped in his tracks by Flack, who had to place himself right in front of Danny to be noticed so they ended up walking into each other. Don knew he'd have to handle this one carefully….best friend or not…..Danny had a temper.

"Woah, Messer, slow down there man….where you been? I've been trying to call you for ages."

"Don…where is she? She still here?" said a very flustered Danny, running a hand through his totally dishevelled hair.

"Yeah, but you bursting in here flattening everyone in your way ain't gonna help her".

"I ain't flattened no one, I just need to know what the hell's going on!"

"Flattened no one you say?" Flack said raising an eyebrow and pointing to Detective Fletcher who had been crushed against the wall by the force of Danny swinging the door. Both men had to smile in spite of themselves, and Danny reminded himself to apologise later for the bloody nose.

"Ok ok, I hear yah, but you ain't gonna stop me seeing her man…"

"Hey, nobodies gonna stop yah 'k, I just need you to calm down, she's in shock ok. She's not saying nothing, she's just clammed up and sitting there". Emphatic arm gestures told Danny she was through in one of the interrogation rooms.

"Why's she here then, she should be at the fucking hospital", Danny now anxious and starting to punch the air. To anyone looking on it would've looked like a boxing match. Between the erratic arm movements of the two friends, they had managed to create a 10 foot circle around themselves. No one dared to get nearer for fear of bodily injury, but a captive audience had formed on the sidelines.

"She wouldn't go there either, and to be honest Dan, I don't think it's gonna be that easy to get her outta here either."

"What? You don't think she did it do ya?", Danny said moving toward the taller man, who for a second visibly cowered back at the warning glaring from Danny's eyes.

"Of course not, come on, it's Lindsay. But the press caught hold of the story, it's been on the local news that a police officer is a suspect, and you now how the Brass like to pander to the media, especially when they're campaigning" - adding when he saw the look in Danny's eyes - "hey, this isn't me speaking 'k, its how it is. They wanna keep her in until her suspect status has gone, show were not soft on our own kind and all that."

Danny sat back on the recently vacated chair beside him, suddenly totally overwhelmed by the situation. He couldn't believe it, Montana is a jail cell? He sat head in hands, freaking out. Millions of thoughts were running through his head, first and foremost about how he was going to get Lindsay home and track down the bastard who had put her through this. He was awoken from his thoughts by Flack.

"Hey Messer, you wanna go see her?"

Danny got up silently and followed him to one of the interrogation rooms, but instead of heading inside they went into the observation room at the side.

The sight in front of him broke his heart and he let himself collapse onto the desk, not taking his eyes of her for a second. Through the double sided mirror he could see Lindsay, just sat there in the old clothes she kept in her locker for emergencies. Someone must have changed her clothing he thought. Most of the blood was gone but the occasional smear still blotted her perfect skin. Her eyes were glazed over and were staring down at the table, her quivering hands fiddling mindlessly with the frayed hem of her top. Danny's face crumpled and he could feel his eyes watering but he wasn't gonna cry. He wasn't that guy, especially with Flack standing next to him.

"Stella's been in and cleared her up, y'know, taken her clothes and trace and whatever. She's been reassigned to this from the Cabbie Killer Case. We're working on it Dan, we're gonna get her out."

Danny just nodded in response, still staring at Lindsay through the glass, still taking the situation in. He hated this, and not only because he felt he could have prevented it somehow, if he hadn't been such a jackass. But as he stood there watching, Danny couldn't help but notice the occasional twitch of the side of Lindsay's mouth, as if she kept going to smile but then remembered where she was. Oh, how he wished he was in there with her, could know what that tentative smile was for. Flack, looking at Danny's' totally absorbed face, was unsure of what to say, so started talking again about how long she'd been at the precinct, but Danny wasn't really listening and cut in over him with a question -

"How can I go in there?" - the frown etched face, hunched shoulders and hand on chin clear evidence of his pain, even to Flack - "I hurt her bad Don, and there's other stuff….stuff she don't know about, I was gonna tell her but then…how do I know she even wants to see me…I pushed her away so much lately…"

"Messer, I'm gonna stop you right there. You know the only thing she's said to me since she got here?"

Danny didn't say anything but instead looked at Flack with questioning eyes, showing his want of an answer.

"She asked for you man, she just looked at me and asked me to call you. She's hurting man, you now she's been through this kinda shit before, she don't need you getting all emotional, she needs you in there… now."

Danny needed no further encouragement and quickly left the room, patting Flack on the shoulder as he went as a sign of thanks.

He paused for the briefest of seconds with his hand poised above the door handle of the interrogation room. _Come on, it's now or never Messer, and never just ain't an option._

**AN: I'm not a police officer and don't live in the US, so I've just tried my best in this story to make 'the system' as real (or should I say, as much like CSI) as possible. Sorry if I make stupid errors.**

**R&R please?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, here's the fourth chapter. Sorry for the wait for this chapter and responses to reviews…don't get me started on how infuriating the internet can be : P**

**Thanks so much again for you reviews and adding me to you alerts/favs – it's really great to know people are reading! And as always…I would LOVE you forever if you could review with any comments/suggestions/criticisms – all are very welcome!**

**The same disclaimers apply…**

How long had she sat here now? A couple of hours? 10 minutes? Lindsay couldn't be sure. The only things she was sure about was that the frayed hem of her top had now gained quite a large hole (that she mused looked rather like Australia), and, Danny wasn't there. She had been sure from the phone call last night that things were starting to get back on track. Back to the good days when she would tease him because he wouldn't hold hands at work, or when he would spend his whole day planning her next surprise.

But then again, their phone call had been before she'd found out about Rikki. But Danny didn't know she knew about Rikki, did he? Or had she been foolish in thinking that if he broke things off with Rikki it was because he wanted to give them another go? She hated him for cheating, of course she did, but there were far bigger things going on in there lives, some of which Danny didn't yet know about. The thought of this made her smile if only for a second. And after this morning's events, she realised he had always been the one; since the first night they had been together, she had been his, body and soul.

Sure she had been angry last night, she just ran way from his apartment where she heard them talking, hurt and humiliated. But now, after everything, she was sure she could forgive him, if only he would confess it all himself. What hurt Lindsay the most was the secrecy. A one off mistake as he grieved, stupidly blaming himself for everything and shutting himself off from the world as he always did, she thought she could handle. But hiding a sordid affair? That she just couldn't stomach.

And, since Danny hadn't responded to her calling his name as she had been brought in to the precinct earlier that day, she had gone into meltdown. The rational part of her told her that he was just distracted by his music. Her irrational recently-cheated-upon-girlfriend side thought he either a) ignored her or b) was thinking about his lovely new girlfriend Rikki. But, cheater or not, she needed Danny now more than ever and she couldn't move, couldn't speak, could hardly think, until he walked through that door and showed her that he was still hers, as she was still his.

Every time the door clicked open she had sprung her head up in hope of Danny, just to see Stella, Flack, or some other police officer come in and eventually leave again. After a while she had stopped even hoping. Until, one time there was the sound of the door opening, but no footsteps. After a pause there came the voice she had been dying to hear…

"Linds?"

She knew that voice, that heavy accent, and she immediately looked up at Danny standing, for once unsure of himself, in the doorway. She had one immediate instinct and followed it, running her way around the table and into his waiting arms. Those strong protective arms, that just wholly surrounded her as her hands clung to his shirt. She laid her head against his chest and began to cry.

The attending officer took the hint Danny was trying to convey in his pleading eyes, and left them alone, closing the door firmly behind him, a reminder to Danny that they were not both free to leave. They just stood there like that for 5 minutes, Danny gently rocking the pair from side to side, stroking Lindsay's hair. Lindsay's breathing calmed but the occasional tear still joined the wet patch now on Danny's shirt. He didn't mind though. He was just so thankful she hadn't just ignored him. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? Except…

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Lindsay", he pleaded, laying a gentle kiss on the top of her head as the two continued to sway.

Lindsay, still in his arms, sniffled, "what for?" before wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She feared the answer.

Danny let go of Lindsay, first wiping the smudged mascara away from her cheeks, then holding her upper arms in his hands with a firm yet loving grip.

"For everything…for not getting here sooner today, for being a selfish bastard these last few months…for…for….things I'm ashamed of…this isn't really the time, but I can't do this anymore…you see, me and Rikki, well, I…"

"Danny, I know…I know…"Lindsay said laying her head back onto his firm chest, relieved at his honesty. She could hear his heart beat quicken.

"No, Lindsay….you don't understand…..I've really messed everything up…we…"

"No Danny _I know", _she said in a weary voice. "I came round yours last night, to talk it out and tell you something important, and I heard you…and Rikki. How could you Dan? Why didn't you just come to me?" She started throwing her fists at his chest, but as she was so small and tired, Danny hardly felt them.

"Oh shit Linds, that wasn't how you were supposed to find out", he responded raising his head towards the ceiling and shutting his eyes, silently cursing himself. "I'm so sorry, for it all Linds, I don't know why I did it… I was just so lost and couldn't seem to find my way back to you. It only happened the once, and it'd never happen again, well I mean….if we are still a we? His heart stopped for the 2 seconds she took to pull out of his arms and answer.

"It'd better not happen again", she said in all seriousness, with a hurt look in her eyes that made Danny swear to himself he could never do anything to hurt this woman, ever.

"Never, ever", he responded. She punched him again in his arm, partly playfully this time, but even this slight action seemed to take it out of her and she fell against him, exhausted. He scooped her up and set her down on one of the chairs as he whispered. "Are your sure? You're amazing you know that? I didn't think…."

"Yeah well, I've done a lot of thinking tonight", she said, leaning on his shoulder and taking his hand as he moved the other chair in the room so it was next to hers. And Danny suddenly realised how tired she did indeed look. "Really?"

"Yeah, I wondered round the city for hours after I heard you and her. I was so angry at you; I was so hurt, because we had something so special that you could just throw away so easily". Danny wanted to say something, but he didn't now what he could say and he felt that she probably had a lot she needed to get off her chest. And maybe, he would find out what happened at her apartment too. He just wished Flack and probably a dozen other officers were not listening in on this conversation from the observation room.

"I wandered for hours, goodness only knows where I went, I just wandered in circles and ended up sitting next to that statue in the Park, you now that Alice in Wonderland one..."

Danny nodded; he did indeed know the one. They had walked past it on their first official date. He gave a half smile as he remembered how on that night these youths had come up and tried to bother them. He had been so annoyed at them for interrupting something so special, he'd phoned Flack who got them booked later that night for driving without a licence.

"…and I couldn't believe it, couldn't believe what you'd done." Tears were now streaming down her face again as she squeezed his hand, half for comfort half to hurt him. I was ready to kill you, literally, I just wanted to throw stuff at you 'til you hurt like I did. I was ready to get rid of everything that was yours…and I mean everything." She paused for a second as she wiped her tears and trailed her hand down her front to her lap. "I only got up because this creepy old tramp came up and tried to sell me his shoe".

"He didn't hurt you?" asked Danny, suddenly tense again.

"No…I showed him my badge and he got the hint".

"That's my girl". Danny gave a little chuckle; she had always been able to handle herself.

"So, then I realised it was nearly 4am and I'd been out all night, so I decided to head back home and get changed for work."

She seemed to falter at this point and Danny encouraged her with a kiss on the head and a squeeze of the hand. "Yeah honey, then what happened, we need to know, so we can find who did this…"

Lindsay looked up into Danny's eyes and was immediately lost in there depths. How she appreciated his unquestioning loyalty at a time like this. "Well I went upstairs, and my door was open…I thought you must have come around, as you're the only one with a key. So I walked right in, slamming the door open, and shouting your name, ready to sling you out and maybe hit you a few times to. But then…then…"

She descended into tears and continued her story with every other word replaced with a sob. All Danny could do was hug her tighter.

"He was on the floor in the living room, laying on his front, knife sticking out of his back….there was so much blood, pooled all around him…and Danny…Danny, I thought it was you… I thought you were dead. And then I realised it….however angry I was at you, I'd never be able to live without you… the shock of thinking you were dead was ten times worse than finding out about Rikki. I thought my life was over…..I was devastated. He just looked so like you, short blonde hair and stocky build, just in jeans and a jacket….I thought it was you. I screamed and ran over to you, pulled the knife out and turned you over onto my lap…I don't know why….all my CSI training just went out the window, but I just couldn't leave you there on your own. Then I saw his face… and it wasn't you. I couldn't move I was so relieved… I just sat there crying. The next thing I know… the police are coming and I'm being taken here. It all just happened so fast."

Danny sat in a stunned silence taking all this in.

Lindsay turned to face him with pleading eyes, "Danny….take me home….please?"

**AN: R&R please? Would love to know if you thought this chapter worked. I wanted to deal with the Danny/Rikki thing fairly swiftly as I don't want this fic to be only about that. What do you guys think? Did it work?**

**And as always, thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Big thanks again to reviewers and those who have added me to alerts/favs – I love you all! And as always some more reviews would be great!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with CSI and unfortunately never will!**

"Danny…take me home…please?"

He didn't respond.

"Hey Danny, what's wrong…don't you wanna….?"

He fell forward, resting his elbows on his knees, but still holding her hand. "Of course I do Linds, hell I'd march you outta here right now if I could but -"

"Theres a but?"

"Yeah Linds. I so sorry, but at the moment your an official suspect, your stuck here I'm afraid" said a worried Danny, searching her eyes for her reaction.

Lindsay just sat there, dumbfounded by her third massive shock that day. "What…I'm a suspect?"

"Yeah honey…and Flack says there's a big media hoo-ha with a police officer being involved and everything…"

"But I wasn't involved! I just…I…I was just first on the scene!"

Danny stroked her hand and worded his response carefully so as to not sound accusing. "But ya messed with the body Linds…they got ya finger prints on the knife and ya clothes covered in blood."

Lindsay sat there, realisation hitting her. "I could get sent down for this couldn't I…"

"Shit Linds…no….you didn't do it, and you know we'll prove it, the evidence will point us…"

"Well, you seem to have pretty damning evidence right there…"

Lindsay sprung up and started pacing the room. Secretly, Danny was pleased to see this, see Lindsay regain some of her fighting spirit, because she sure as hell was gonna need it.

"I can't do this, not now, I can't be locked up in here" she started to babble. "…I need to get out…not when…not now…" and Lindsay started trying the door handle, crying in frustration when it was locked.

At this, Danny stood up himself and pulled her away from the door and into his arms, forcing her to make eye contact with him.

"Look here Montana. You know we've got the best damn team going and that no one in that lab will stop until they prove your innocence. We've got your back Lindsay, I got your back, just stay strong for a bit longer and well get you outta here."

"But Dan, I just can't…I'm scared….I can't get stuck in here."

"I won't, _I can't_, let that happen. You know you're everything to me, don't cha? I'm not gonna stop 'til you walk outta here with me, where you belong."

"You know Messer, you can be pretty sweet when u want be, you know that?"

Danny had never actually said the L word, and Lindsay thought he never would, to anyone, but looking into his eyes and from his tone of voice, she could sense the intensity of feeling behind what he said.

"Well, I try…" Danny started with_ that_ grin on his face, but any other cocky responses were stopped by the kiss Lindsay placed on his lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him again, deeper this time. _Yep,_ she thought, _I definitely made the write decision here_, as she smelt his cologne and sunk into his body where she fitted just so perfectly.

"Linds?" said Danny momentarily breaking off the kiss.

"Yeah?" Lindsay said into his mouth.

"Can we not do this now?"

"Why not?"

"'Cause Flack's in the observation room"

"Oh."

Their lips parted, both grinning and they hugged, Lindsay glancing over Danny's shoulder to the mirror saw herself turn red.

And then, as if on cue, Flack then came in, eyes shut, teasing "Not interrupting anything am I?"

"Stop goofing around Flack, what ya got?"

"Well, we had some trouble ID-ing the DOA, somebody took his wallet and phone, you know the usual robbery type stuff. But Sid just called and they've started the autopsy and his fingerprints identify him as a Mr Larry Scott, 36, lived upstairs from you?"

"Maybe…I don't know, I don't know many of the neighbours except those on my floor…I don't exactly keep sociable hours on shift work!"

"Yeah, well, he's in the system for mugging, assault, petty theft, that kinda stuff. And Lindsay's keys to her apartment were found at the scene, covered in blood spatter. So, at the moment we working on the theory that you Linds, you must've dropped you keys somewhere around or near the building as you left last night. Scott musta seen the opportunity to make a little extra cash by riffling through you apartment. He had a necklace in his pocket, which we'll get you to ID as yours soon, and some of your draws and stuff were messed up."

"Yeah yeah, but that don't explain why the hell he was killed…you saying he was mugged and killed in Linds' apartment for his wallet?" Danny questioned.

"Well, yeah, were still working on that part….in fact were still waiting for evidence from the lab to back up our theory so far, it's a work in progress. Plus, the Cabbie Killer's causing a lot of evidence to get held up. But, were carrying on the canvas of the neighbourhood and collecting evidence from the scene."

"Is there anything you need for me to do Flack?" said Lindsay, eager for this to be over.

"Yeah Lindsay, we heard what you just told Danny about this morning, but we need you to make it official, so I'm gonna have one of my boys come in and get a statement from you, okay?"

"Sure, whatever needs to happen."

"Great, then after that we'll get ya somewhere to sleep-you look exhausted."

"And I feel it too, thanks Don."

Don started to walk towards the door, and called back over his shoulder, "oh yeah and Danny? Mac's looking for you!"

"Thanks man" was Danny's response and with that, Flack was gone.

"Ok sweetie, looks like I gotta go, but I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Well, you know where to find me!" Lindsay laughed, and swooped in for another kiss.

"What was that for?"

"For being you" – adding, in a whisper, grazing his ear with her lips – "and to give something for people to talk about….make sure nobody makes a move on my man whilst I'm in here."

"Well, if something's worth doing its worth doing properly" he said with a cheeky grin, as he wrapped his hands around her waist and pushed her against the mirror. He pushed himself up against her body and they were both soon lost in each other. Now ordinarily, this was way over what either one would allow at work, but Danny was just so hungry to feel her, to taste her; the fog that had clouded his vision for the last few weeks now totally lifted. And for Lindsay's part, she wanted something good to be daydreaming about for however long she was going to be stuck in here for. To keep her worries and fears at bay. In fact, they only stopped when an embarrassed looking junior detective came in.

"Oh err, sorry detectives."

"That's okay; now make sure you take good care of her ok?" said Danny as he pulled away from Lindsay but never letting his eyes leave hers. He wanted to remember those eyes, so filled with love but also with a hint of terror that he might let her down. It crushed him that he had made her have to doubt him, but he would do whatever it took to let her trust him fully again.

"Of course Messer."

"Thanks Parks, I'll be back soon", he said with one last look at Lindsay, he let go of her hand and was gone.

"Y'know", said the detective, "I'm glad he's on our side 'cause he scares the shit outta me sometimes."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry, his bark's worse than his bite."

"Tell that to Detective Fletcher, he's having to get his nose fixed as we speak!"

**AN: R&R please! Enjoyed? Hated? Tell me what u think and I will love u forever and send you a big hug!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A big thanks again for reviews etc! Sorry for lack of updates this week…I was away on work and forgot to update before I left! Hope you enjoy this though and next chapter should be up fairly shortly!**

**Disclaimer…if I owned CSI:NY, I wouldn't have been working all weekend!**

**Oh, and possible slight spoiler for ep 4.20!**

"Heard you were looking for me Mac?"

Danny had just arrived back at the crime lab, ready to get started on solving his girlfriend's case. _His_ girlfriend's. How good that sounded to Danny.

"Good Danny you're here. How's Lindsay? Flack told me what happened in her apartment."

"Yeah, she's seems to be okay, but you know Mac, this can't be easy on her, not with everything that happened back in Montana. You sure she has to stay in there….we all know she didn't do it!"

"Yes Danny, of that I am 100, but you know as well as I do….we have to work with the system and not against it. Pull her out of there now and we don't find the killer? A slur could be over her career and life for years to come…its best for her, for now, to stay where she is."

"Yeah, like she has much choice", Danny grumbled to himself so Mac couldn't hear.

"So, where you want me to start?"

--

"Danny, Danny?" His name was being called across the lab at three o'clock that afternoon as he sat in his office, face down in a pile of lab results. _Shit…how long have I been asleep?_ he thought glancing at his watch. Danny was surprised but pleased he had been allowed onto Lindsay's case, but Mac had had to cave as they were obviously short of staff at the moment.

"Danny?"

"Yo, Adam, tell me you got something good man," sounding overly bright, guiltily trying to hide his 10 minutes of sleep.

"How's about a suspect?"

"Sounds good to me. Who is he?" said Dannny, leaning back and stretching in his chair trying to waken his body, dead from having an hour or so sleep in the last thirty six.

"Don't you mean she? I lifted some fingerprints off the knife and got three sets. Some were Lindsay's, from when she pulled it out the vic's back, one set I can't identify, but the other's belonged to a Tracey Campbell."

"There s only one problem" said Stella entering the office and the conversation.

"Which is?" Danny enquired.

"I've just come from reconstruction. From the pattern of the fingerprints, the person who seemed to be holding it the knife in the manner needed to inflict the wound is the unidentified set of fingerprints. So Campbell may not have been involved at all."

"But she could give us a lead, thanks guys. I'm gonna head out and find this woman, see what she has to say….keep me updated on anything new 'k?" Danny now had hope, the pattern of fingerprints was not enough to clear Lindsay, but it was a start.

"Sure thing, but the Cabbie case is still taking up a lot of lab time - I don't know how quick anything's gonna be around here today."

--

_What a waste of an afternoon_ Danny thought, pounding a baseball against his office door in frustration.

Tracey Campbell had been a total waste of time. When Danny eventually tracked her down it was in hospital she was in a coma from a drug OD, and had been for the last few days. Uniform had found her unconscious in a back alley somewhere, so any of her stuff, including this knife, could have been taken from her at any point, by anybody, and she wasn't even conscious at time of the murder.

When he had made it back to the labs, he went down to autopsy to see if Sid had any news to give him….but all he had so far was that the killer came up from behind and stabbed the vic once in the back, nicking the aorta causing a massive bleed out. Oh yes, and Danny's favourite part – the killer was a bit shorter than the vic and from the angle of the blows was probably right handed…which meant that Lindsay and probably half of the population of New York could be suspects. Great.

There had been one positive though, the Cabbie Killer had been caught….some insane guy who thought he was a god or something. Danny had bumped into, and been filled in by, Mac who was at the hospital visiting Claire's son. Danny was glad though, because now everyone was working on Lindsay's case.

But he just didn't know which path to investigate, where to go next. So he was trying to think it all through logically, with an ever helpful cup of coffee by his side, throwing his ball at the door.

That is, until someone walked through it.

"Woah", said Stella, as she ducked to miss the ball now rolling off down the corridor.

"Oh, sorry Stell. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, come on, we got loadsa trace still to sort through from Lindsay and her apartment, and Sid's sent some up from autopsy…You gonna come and help or am I gonna be here all night."

"I'm coming , I'm coming" said Danny holding his hands up in apology and swiftly standing up from his chair and following Stella to Trace.

They were there all evening, sorting through every scrap of evidence they could find. Even Mac had come to join them, but still no joy. All DNA in the crime scene either belonged to Lindsay, the Vic, Tracey the druggie whose knife had been stolen and used or the mysterious third suspect, whose neither fingerprints nor DNA were in the system. At least at the moment they were assuming the fingerprints and DNA belonged to just one person, but they weren't even sure of that.

"Still no hits in AFIS…damn it….the number of bloody prints I've put through here tonight….you'd have thought one…."

"That's enough Danny, don't let your temper get the better of you."

"Yeah sorry Mac….its just frustrating is all."

"Yeah, and I think we all ought to stop processing, it's late and I don't want mistakes made or things missed. Everyone, meet me in the break room in 5 minutes ok? Let's work this one through."

In 5 minutes the whole team, except Hawkes, was in the break room. It was filled with all the boards Mac had just moved in there, with all the case evidence and photos connected in a kind of mind map.

"Ok, we need to think this one through, let's have a brainstorming session, see if we can't crack it" Mac began as he himself settled on a stool.

"Well I don't think I've got anything you want to hear." Everyone turned around to see Hawkes walking in, numerous folders in his arms.

"Which would be…?"

"Well, I have been going all through the cases Lindsay's worked on, even back in Bozeman. We've done everything….looked at suspects, victims, familys, recently released perps…and nowhere can I see someone that has a long term grudge against Lindsay. Of the few who have been recently released, one pleaded guilty and Lindsay didn't have to testify or come face to face with him, one was rearrested last night, in Montana, and one has moved to France. I just don't see it; if she was the target, I just can't find a suspect."

"But she must have been the target? Who could have known the vic would be in her apartment…surely they were laying in wait for Lindsay?" chimed in Angell.

"How'd we know they were in there before the vic? The door was forced open somehow at some point and was still open when Lindsay turned up…maybe the vic was followed in?" countered Flack reasonably.

No one said anything for awhile. All were still so confused by the whole situation and by the many questions still unanswered; they're minds needed time to take it all in.

Adam spoke up at this point. "Well, I can't help you out there much either… I looked at all cameras in the area….which by the way is really poorly covered…Lindsay should really consider moving or writing to…"

"Adam….not the time buddy", said an anxious and tired Danny. It was already gone midnight…Montana had been locked up for almost a day now. He had tried to go see her again but she had been asleep most of the day. Flack said she was doing okay under the circumstances, but that just wasn't good enough for Danny.

"Oh, err, yeah sorry….as I was saying, from the limited footage I had I can give us a bit of a timeline. Lindsay can be seen walking down the street, away from her apartment at 9.57 pm." And as he started the grainy video rolling, the slim figure of Lindsay, identifiable through her gait and coat, could just be made out.

"Yeah, that was about 10 minutes before I spoke to her on the phone, she was out on a rain walk".

"A rain walk?" echoed Adam.

"Adam…not the…"

"I know, not the time, not the time… Any way, the vic, Larry, can be seen walking towards the apartment building from the other direction at 11.03. Lindsay reappears in the footage only at 4.13am walking back towards the apartment building."

"So that gives us our timeframe, the TOD must be somewhere between 11.19 and 4.13am. And this fits in with Sid's estimation of an hour or so either side of midnight" said Mac. He quickly continued, looking at Danny, trying to quell the triumphant look growing his eyes.

"But no, this still doesn't leave Lindsay in the clear. As Adam said… the area isn't covered well and we have no pictures of her actual apartment block so we can't prove that Lindsay didn't slip back to the building in a camera blind spot.

"Oh for the love off…".Danny's tired brain was getting angrier by the second, "…all this is crap…come off it Mac…you can't seriously be saying you want to keep her in any longer."

"Danny…"

"No, no…I just…" and Danny stormed out the room, hands coursing though his hair in irritation.

Stella made to go after him but Mac stopped her with a light touch of the arm. "Leave him Stella….he needs to cool off". And then turning back to the gathered group he said "so Adam….is there anyone you would consider a suspect on the footage?"

"Well, mostly it's too dark and poor quality to be able to identify anyone, and because you can't see the building anyone in or out of shot could have gone in. But there was this one person…" Adam fiddled for a second as he rewound the tape to the correct part. "There see….looks a bit shifty, drunk probably as well, he came from the same direction as Larry about 4 minutes after him. They could've argued earlier, or it could be nothing but…"

"No, good work Adam…now the question is who would want Lindsay Monroe or Larry Scott dead?

--

She tossed and turned on her bed, unable to get comfortable on the hard mattress, but the intermittent periods of sleep she did get were haunted by vivid dreams…

"_All stand for Judge Daniel Katums"._

_The whole courtroom rose with a deafening silence. She could see people looking over their shoulders and laughing at her, not even trying to hide it, but she couldn't here it, any of it. Lindsay refused to stand but her body acted without her consent, as if invisible chains were pulling her to a standing position. Gradually everyone else sat back down again as Katums cold eyes glared at her, whilst his equally icy laugh resounded around the silent courtroom._

_Lindsay tried to protest, sit down, move at all, but she was stuck where she was. She tried to shout out but the instant she did she felt as if she were drowning and her voice was nothing more than a random variety of notes._

"_The jury find Miss Monroe…guilty of all charges" stated the forewomen._

_The silence vanished as laughs filled the room and a cold voice started singing her favourite nursery rhyme - _

_**Ring a ring o' roses…**_

_She was spinning, or more precisely, she was staying still and the world was spinning around her. The courtroom, the laughing crowd, everything was becoming a blurred mist around her._

_**A pocket full of posies…**_

_Then there he was. Danny. Standing in front of her, remaining constant when all else was spinning. She couldn't read him. What were those eyes expressing….Grief? Concern? Love?_

"_Danny, what's going on?" she attempted to say, but all that came out again were muffled squeaks._

_Danny just laughed, then turned round, fading, like the rest of the spinning world…out of her grasp._

_**A-tishoo, a-tishoo ….**_

"_Danny…Danny…don't leave me…not here alone," she screamed, again unintelligibly. She started to sob. "Danny, you can't do this to me again, not again…please, please…I'm pregnant!"_

_No response, he kept on walking._

_Lindsay went numb as the world continued to spin and she fell down and down and down._

_**We all fall down…**_

She awoke with a start in a cold dark room. Trapped, scared, and totally alone.

**AN: Hope u liked it! What did we think of the dream? Very random but then again I was very bored at work and had a lot of time to think! please please R&R? Reviews, good or bad, would be wonderful! Thanks!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**I Massive Thanks for all the reviews etc…love to you all! If I haven't replied to your review, I'm sorry and you have my permission to shout at me!**

**I own nothing and this is all unbeta'd!**

**Just to make sure the time line is clear here…this chapter continues on from last chap, the night of the day of the murder, and continues onto the next morning too! Make sense? Who knows! Let's go for it anyway…**

"_No, no…I just…" and Danny stormed out the room, hands coursing though his hair in irritation._

He needed to do something worthwhile, he couldn't stand this going round in circles they seemed to be doing. He also needed some space, some sleep and some Lindsay, the latter of which he doubted he would be allowed to see at 1am. So that meant he wanted to be alone, and he could only think of one place he could be sure to get some privacy around here.

He quickened his pace, fearing Stella or one of the others would come after him, and headed straight for the locker room and into a shower stall, locking the door behind him, locking the world out. He lent his forehead against the cold, white tiles and closed his eyes, wishing away the fear and anger lying in the pit of his stomach.

Danny then heard the locker room door open and not wanting to be disturbed he quickly turned on the shower, realising all too late he was still in his clothes. But he had gone past caring, so he merely lent back against the wall and slid down it until he was sitting on the floor, letting the water totally immerse him.

He didn't know how long he sat there until he heard his boss talking, but tears had appeared on his face, hidden by the now freezing water.

"Danny. I know you're in there, and I know you probably don't want to talk to anyone right now, but just here me out."

Mac didn't even wait for a response, knowing his CSI all too well.

"This is tough on you, its tough on us all, but its toughest on you and however much you would deny it, you're having a hard time coping. We ARE going to get Lindsay out but I need you to stay focused. I need you to work this case. Your one of the best I've got and I can't have you becoming a loose cannon, not on this case, for Lindsay's sake. But first, go home, get some rest and I'll see you back here first thing in the morning, I need you alert."

He got up and started to walk out. Danny didn't know what to say so stayed silent. He wanted to say thanks, Mac truly was a great mentor and friend to him, but he couldn't be seen in his current state. He didn't want Mac to know he had been crying.

"Oh and Danny", his footsteps paused momentarily. "I never did regret hiring you, whatever others may have said in the past, I know I made the right decision."

--

Lindsay was starting to think life as a suspect wasn't that bad after all. You were fed, clothed, got to have a wash, and didn't need to get up and go to work. But actually she wouldn't mind getting up early, especially when the nights were so bad.

It was now 8.15 am and she was again alone in a cell. She had just spent her first night incarcerated, and hoped there wouldn't be that many more to come. Constant nightmares meant she had practically no sleep and she was shattered. But it also meant she was extremely focused. She was going to tell Danny.

She was already formulating the words she would use, but it just wasn't that easy…

_Danny…we've got to talk – _no, too formal_._

_Hey, Dan…baby…soon we're going to have our own little bundle of joy! - _no…sooo not me…or him_._

_Danny…I'm pregnant. Please don't freak out. Please don't leave me. Please let us be a happy family and let us grow old together. Please let me have the old Danny back for good. – _maybe a tad desperate, and too close to the truth.

She loved Danny, and although he had never said it, he loved her too. They could make this work if they tried, they were perfect for each other after all. Everyone said so, even her Dad, to whom no man, before Danny that was, had seemed good enough for his daughter. When she first arrived, Lindsay soon became closer to Danny than any other person in the lab, or New York. As soon as they had met, there was a certain spark between them – and Lindsay had never known the line between love and hate could be so thin. And still, there was no one in the world that could infuriate Lindsay as much as Danny. Where was he now? It'd been a day since he had visited and she had seen hide nor hair of him since.

--

Nine o'clock in the morning came and the corridors were crowded. The New Jersey police who had come to help with the investigation were all moving out now the joint investigation over the Cabbie Killer was over. The halls were so crowded that Danny, leaving the break room where he had crashed for the night, on his way to Lindsay had accidentally bumped into a guy, boxes stacked precariously in his hands.

"Sorry 'bout that….want a hand there?"

"No, no I'm fine," came the response as the man quickly tried to continue on his way. But Danny was too fast, taking some of the boxes to help and in so doing revealed the man's face. It was Detective Fletcher.

"Oh hey, it's you, man. About yesterday, err…I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Didn't see ya there. How's the nose?"

_Bit of a stupid question you idiot, _Danny thought. _You shove him against the wall with a swing door and now the man had some kinda cotton wool stuff up his nose, looking distinctly scared of you._

"Oh, its ok, accident and all….we all make mistakes don't we…" and he again tried to continue away from Danny. Which, despite everything, Danny thought was odd as they were on good terms, having graduated to become CSIs in the same class and having been quite friendly 'back in the day'.

"So you all moving out now?" said Danny, walking into the elevator behind Fletcher as he helped him with the boxes. Fletcher was one of the New Jersey contingent.

"Yeah, case all tied up now, back to our own labs…will be nice to get away from here…a bit more space….suppose u feel the same way!"

"I'm just glad they caught that creep, y' know. And now we can concentrate on solving Lindsay's case. You heard about that? Detective Monroe…"

"Oh yeah, was a shame to hear bout that…anyway…good luck with that case, I can take it all from here… see you later"

"Yeah we should catch up some time." Said Danny, but got no response as Fletcher practically ran out of the elevator.

Danny followed him off the elevator, now on the ground floor, so he could head off to the precinct. But he was suddenly engulfed in another crowd. No longer New Jersey Cops…more New York Journalists. And they were on the hunt for a story.

**AN: As usual, I would LOVE reviews so R&R? Pretty please?**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to those who reviewed/added me to alerts etc! It means a lot that people are still reading! **

**And thanks to camilita for suggesting the idea for this one – I hope this is along the lines of what you were thinking of! (But if the chapter is crap blame me not her!) If anyone else has any suggestions I'll try and get them in!**

**Reviews would be lovely as always! And I have never claimed to own anything…**

"Hey! Aren't you that CSI…?"

"Excuse me sir….are you Detective Messer? We understand you work with Detective Monroe…what's you take on her fall to crime?"

"You a CSI?"

"What…that's Messer? We hear you and Monroe are more than just colleagues…got any comments to make? Defend her? Accuse her?"

"Hey, what…you got the boyfriend over there? Quick, Tom…get a photo!"

"How long do you think she's going down for?"

"Do you think she's innocent?"

"Did Monroe have anything to do with your being taken hostage last year?"

"That's ludicrous, what the…?" Danny had reached the foyer where he was now accosted by a large crowd of eager faced journalists, flashes and running cameras, all suddenly focused on him.

"HEY!" They went quiet, and Danny was glad as he was quite happy to give them a piece of his mind. "What the hell do you think you lot are doing in here, asking questions about…"

"Get out, all o' ya, get out now!" Flack bellowed as he came marching from the other end of the foyer, with 6 of his uniforms flanking him. "You know you're not meant to be in here, the statement's outside at 9.30, got it?" he continued as he waved his arms to shoo them out.

Some of the journalists looked bewildered, others eager to ask this new detective some questions, but with the 6 beefy men either side of him they took the hint and started to leave. But a leaving rabble doesn't leave quickly or quietly and unfortunately, for Danny at least, he was stood in their way.

Tom the photographer was still apparently trying to get close enough to get a clear shot of Danny, whilst a camera crew headed across his path to get to Flack. Tom got angry and started spouting off when the camera man got in his way, and add to the mix a few other confused people, and well…Danny could never really tell what happened….but he ended up being knocked to the floor by a sound boom, face first. _Just what I needed today._

"Hey, get outta here, before I arrest you for assaulting an officer, go on clear out! Hey, you alright there man?" said Flack trying to conceal his amusement to both the press and Danny.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine man. So I take it this is the media hoo-ha you talked about?"

"Yup… 'fraid so."

"And did somebody _actually_ just ask me if Montana was in league with some drug running Irish mobsters?"

"Yup."

"Okay….just wanted to check I hadn't been knocked silly" he said rubbing his throbbing head.

"Nah man….those journos are weird man, must be a slow news week or something."

Flack looked at Danny properly, now he had stood up and shaken himself off. "You're gonna have a nice black eye in the morning Messer."

"What? Oh damn….does it really look that bad? "

Flack grinned. "Yeah, I'd put some ice on it ASAP. Oh look, there's Mac….he must be starting his statement,"he said pointing to Mac now standing outside infront of a bustling crowd.

"His what? There's a press conference?"

"Not in so many words, but he's giving a short statement, set some rumours straight, that sorta thing. Let's go listen."

So the two men wandered across the foyer so they could hear Mac's words drifting in through the glass doors of the building.

* * *

"As many of you will know, my name is Detective Mac Taylor. I am in charge of the NYPD Crime Lab, and I am heading the ongoing investigation into the death of Larry Scott. His body was found at approximately 4.30 this morning by officers responding to reports of a domestic disturbance in Manhattan.

"We are currently treating his death as murder, with the weapon having been found at the scene. We are following many leads, including the questioning of the resident of the apartment in which he was found. A dedicated team are following up many leads as we speak, but as yet no firm suspects have been identified."

"So is Detective Monroe a suspect? Didn't she find the body?"

"As I have already said, she is being questioned but as yet no one has been charged. I really cannot comment any further at such an early stage of the investigation. Thank you, I will make no further comments until some more developments have been made."

As Mac turned around, the hubbub of noise started back up from the crowd, but footsteps coming up behind him alerted him to the fact he was being followed. As he turned around he politely said, "Yes?"

"Taylor, I'm from the Post"

"I'm not going to add anything further to my statement."

"So, what was the murder weapon you found?" The journalist continued with barely a pause.

Mac turned round, annoyance building up inside of him. The man before him holding a note pad was quite tall and of a large build, with greasy hair and looking older than his years, probably due to the cigarette now tucked behind his right ear.

"I'm not going to add anything more, not for you, or anybody else. Do not test my patience."

"Oh yeah or what?"

Mac just turned around and continued into the building, he had just about reached the door, when the journalist, now clutching at straws for any type of exclusive, blurted out one more question.

"So, I've done my research, and it just seems a bit fishy to me that Miss Monroe has now bee 'witness' to 2 horrific murders, I mean some may say…"

Mac was tired and had had enough; this was one step too far. He cut the journalist off in mid sentence as he used his best Marine moves to effortlessly pin the much taller and broader man up against the glass doors, his right forearm against the man's throat. The noise around them died instantly. When he spoke, Mac's voice was cold and powerful, yet barely above a whisper so only the greasy haired man could hear.

"I said no further comments. And if I hear any whispers about your story, or you false allegations, anywhere, your career will be over."

Other officers looked bewildered and wondered who they should be restraining, but Mac stepped gracefully back, rearranged his jacket and said loudly, "Don't worry, no problem here boys."

And with that Mac moved to the side of the man, who had visibly lost a foot in height since his dressing down by Mac, and used another door to enter the building.

"Mac, how many times do I have to tell you, violence isn't the answer, don't let your anger over take you!" Danny said looking at Mac over the top of his glasses with his arms cross, but with a joking smile that showed he meant no harm. Mac was glad to see Danny was feeling better after some rest. But he still thought better than to tell Danny why he had reprimanded the journalist. That scene he did not want to see.

"You can talk, what you been up to now Danny?", with a smile curling on one side of his lips as he indicated to Danny's eye.

"Hey", was all a surprised Danny could utter, standing there trying to form words with his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. "How comes you assume every time something bad happens I've got something to do– "

BANG

**AN: I would just like to point out I have nothing against journalists :)**

**Plus, I just realised Danny and Lindsay haven't talked in a very long time…lets see if I can correct this in the next chapter…if they both make it...**

**R & R? Please?**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Massive thanks again to all those who reviewed or added me to their alerts, it makes me happy! And thanks to all those who just read too!**

**So… the next chapter….**

_BANG!_

The shots rang through the building as everyone inside and out dived for cover. Three shots in total were heard by all, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass and then the screech of tires spinning against the road as a car sped off down the street.

For a split second there was silence; a rare quality to be found in any NY PD building, but there it was nonetheless.

But the noise quickly returned to the echoing corridors. Dozens of police officers either ran outside to find the shooter or called into control over the radio to get back up and EMTs on the scene.

Once it was clear the danger had passed, everybody else was soon back on their feet as they looked around in bewilderment. Outside on the street were new tire tracks burnt into the road directly outside the building. Uniforms tried to protect this fresh evidence as the gathered press started taking pictures.

Two of the glass entrance doors were shattered with glass showered over the people around, some with minor cuts but nothing too serious.

Inside, near to where two CSIs and a detective had stood moments before, three bullet holes marked the wall.

* * *

"Can somebody please tell me what is going on?" a worried Lindsay shouted through the door. "I'm not stupid you know, I heard those shots too, what the hell's going on? Was anybody hurt? That's all I wanna know!"

A uniform popped her head around the door to the interrogation room. Lindsay had been brought back from the precinct cells to the crime lab interrogation rooms so she could identify some of the jewelery found on the murdered Vic.

"Sorry, Monroe, we're just a bit busy at the moment, there's a bit of a situation here, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thank goodness, someone's here at last! Christine, can you just tell me is anyone hurt? Is Danny hurt?"

"I don't know at the moment, I'm gonna have to go", and she attempted to close the door but-

"No you don't," came a voice form behind the officer.

"Oh hey, you're here…hang on, what are you doing? Have you got authorisation to…?"

"I won't be a minute!" said Danny as he grinned back at the officer, and then swerved around the semi open door and into the interrogation room.

Lindsay was at the table leaning her hands in her palms. "Well, can you at least tell Messer that if he doesn't get his ass down here soon I'll…"

"Yes?" Danny grinned. "What exactly will you do?"

Lindsay smiled like a little school girl when she heard his voice but didn't remove her hands form her eyes. "I'll kick him into the middle of next week!"

"I'd pay to see that!"

Lindsay at last uncovered and opened her eyes.

"Oh my, Danny, you're hurt." She ran over to him as her playful smile faded, placing her hands gently on his cheeks and tenderly kissing his slowly blackening eye.

"Oh that…that's nothing, just some damn stupid journalist knocked me over is all. Nothing to do with the shooting."

"The shooting? You were there? I heard some noises but I couldn't be sure…"

"Yeah, looks like some crazy idiot fired some shots at random into the Lobby. Nobody got hit, thank God, it could have been bad Linds. But anyway, how's you doing in here, they looking after you right?"

"Can't complain…well I could, but would it get me anywhere?" She asked chuckling, causing a smile to appear on Danny's face also.

"Probably not honey, I'm sorry….were working on it though," he said drawing her into a hug and kissing her lightly on her forehead

"I know you are Dan, I just wish you were working through it a bit quicker." There was a pause as each just enjoyed being so close to the other, and Lindsay decided to go for it. She remained in his embrace as she leant back so she could look into his eyes. "Hey Danny…I need to tell you something, something important."

He kissed the top of her head again, just savouring her presence. He needed to be gone really. The shooting added another high profile case to their workload, and Mac had just announced they were going to be working 'round the clock'. Danny had only been able to slip away for a few minutes.

"Lindsay, honey, can it wait? We can talk later its just I really need to be heading back to the lab."

"Oh, ok yeah sure," Lindsay recoiled from him, "if that's what you want."

Danny didn't want to go though this again, hurt her again. "Hey, no Linds, I wanna talk…"

"Oh really, like we've been communicating so well these last couple of weeks," annoyance clear in her voice.

"Come on, I thought we were over that."

"Easy for you to say. You're not cooped up in some little cell 24/7. You're not waiting constantly for your boyfriend to come and visit, and when he does eventually come, he stays for all of five minutes and can't leave fast enough."

"Hey, this is not my fault okay honey, I'm trying to get you out of here."

"And you couldn't spare five minutes for me?"

"And you don't think I've tried! This isn't the first time I've come down here, you've been asleep the other times is all. I didn't want to wake you. Come on Linds, let's not argue, not now." Danny said this all in a soothing voice, gently stroking her hair, trying to control the situation before it got out of hand.

"Fine just go," said Lindsay, closing her eyes and sitting down, leaning her head against the wall.

"We alright?"

"Yeah, of course."

"I don't believe you."

"Well why did you bother asking then?" Lindsay was trying to control her emotions but they were all coming out onto Danny, good and bad. She was getting frustrated all pent up in this cell, with the only other people to talk to being the odd uniform who brought her stuff to eat or drink. "You go, continue to run away, hide stuff, its fine!" she said whilst waving her hand in the air sarcastically.

Danny had turned round to leave but turned back to face Lindsay at this comment.

"What the hell am I supposed to be hiding from you Linds?"

"Oh nothing nothing, just anything related to the case, getting shot at, getting in a fight. Have I missed anything?"

"I'm not hiding anything. You wanna know bout the case? Fine ask away! It's just that we still know nothing to help you, and I thought I'd just spare you the worry! Secondly, I was not shot at personally, they don't know what the hell that was yet! And I did not get into a fight, some idiot knocked me over, and it all happened about half an hour ago. So, considering you're stuck in here, I'd say I managed to come tell you pretty damn quickly, don't you?"

"Oh yeah right, and you didn't hit this idiot back I suppose?"

"No, I didn't as a matter of fact." He felt like adding 'so there', but thought this might be a bit too childish.

Lindsay made a 'pfshh' noise, clearly not believing him.

"Oh, that's great. Fine don't believe me Linds, but there ain't anything I can do to make ya, not if you don't want to."

"What's that meant to mean?"

"Well it's up to you Linds, up to you if you trust me."

"Oh 'cause you're so trustworthy, oh yeah I forgot I was dating Saint Messer."

"Oh come off it, I'm not saying that, it's just if we, if…"

"What, if we can't move on? Well, I'm sorry but you cheating with that fucking woman is quite a big thing to just move on from, don't you think?"

"Come on Linds, I said I'm sorry, I thought you were okay with it now?"

"Well, so did I, but turns out we can't all just get what we want. I want to be over this, it just still hurts sometimes, especially when you don't come and see me…" Lindsay cut short. She was not going to break down and cry. She hated arguing with Danny, especially when she knew she didn't mean half of it.

Danny didn't know what to say. What could he say? She had every right to feel this way. "Please Linds, don't do this, don't do this to us."

"What! What the hell am _I _doing exactly? I thought you were the one doing someone else!"

"Oh for fuck sake, I can't do this now…" and he turned to the door. He wasn't in the mood to examine his stupid mistakes right now.

"Oh yeah, fine run away."

"I'm not running Linds," he said with a tone of anger mixed with desperation, one hand resting on the door handle, one rubbing his face.

"Oh no that's fine, that's exactly what you would do, run out on your pregnant girlfriend." _Shit, it was not meant to come out like that_, she thought. She looked up, eager to gauge his reaction anyway.

"Lindsay," said a now exasperated Danny, "for the love of… w-w-wait a second." He had now turned round, "…what the hell did you just say?"

"I'm pregnant," she repeated sheepishly.

The quickest of grins crossed his face, but now Danny was pissed off. "And I'm the fucking one hiding stuff am I, good one Linds."

"Hey, this isn't my fault okay, I've been trying to tell you for weeks, but you just weren't there. I came round to tell you, that night after our phone call, and heard you talking to Rikki. And I tried to tell you a minute ago, but you blew me off! Don't make this out as my fault."

"What and it's my fault? How as I supposed to fucking know you were pregnant. I'd of tried just that little bit harder to tell someone news like that."

Tears began to roll down Lindsay face. "I tried Danny, I tried".

She stood back up and tried to put a hand on Danny's, but he moved back and out of her reach.

"Why didn't you tell me Linds?" tears near to his own eyes, "I'd of forced Mac to get you outta here."

"Well maybe I didn't want your help."

"What the…? What else am I supposed to do, let you rot in here? Having my baby in a prison wing, would that of been better than having to talk to me?"

"Oh yeah Danny, that's exactly what I meant," said Lindsay sarcastically.

"Then why Linds, why the hell couldn't you tell me? Am I that awful? Am I that scary you can't talk to me, don't you trust me at all?"

"It's just…" she paused, not sure really what the answer was.

"No come on Linds, don't hold back, you obviously have a problem with me and I think it's kinda important I know want it is!"

"Okay, you wanna know why I didn't tell you at first?" All sadness left her voice, replaced by anger.

"Yeah, come on Linds, this I gotta hear."

"I wanted our relationship to work, I wanted you to come back to me for me, for us, and not because you felt tied down and honour bound to marry me just because you impregnated me!!"

"Is that all you thought of our relationship? "

"No, not until YOU moved on to somebody else, and that's when YOU showed that that was all that YOU thought of the relationship. "

"That's crap and you know it Lindsay. I, I…you know what you mean to me."

"And there, you still can't say it…if you ever wanted to?"

"What, what can't I say?" said Danny, stepping forward.

"L-O-V-E…it's a four letter word, it ain't gonna hurt you if you use it." Lindsay moved so they were mere inches apart.

"Shows what the hell you know then don't it."

"What…what am I missing here, 'cause this just isn't making sense anymore."

"Look," Danny held eye contact with Lindsay. "I made a mistake I will regret for the rest of my life, but that is what it was - a mistake. And we have to move on from it." He looked away as his heart broke at even saying it. "Together or apart."

"Fine you want us to break up, go ahead go, leave, and never come back," she spat. She felt physically sick, she couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"No, Lindsay, that's not what I meant."

"Oh I know exactly what you mean…you wanna get out before the going gets tough, before you actually have to act like a man for once in your life and take some fucking responsibility for something."

"Is that all you think of me? That I would drop you, just like that, like some cheap date. Well, if that's really what you think of, then I guess your, right."

He turned to leave.

"Well fine, fucking leave."

"I will! Goodbye!" and he slammed the door, making Lindsay jump at the harsh noise, followed by silence.

_Shit,_ he thought

_Shit_, she thought.

**AN: Not quite fluffy DL but some DL nonetheless! R&R? I love them!**

**I don't know how long the chapters will take to come…I've got to make sure it's all going to fit together, and I'm still torn between a happy and sad ending! I know what would happen either way but just can't decide! If you have any preferences, you know what to do!**


	10. Chapter 10

**OK- we're back on track now people! Thanks for your reviews – as always big hugs to all of you! And thanks to those who expressed a preference to how this ended. That is all sorted now, so you'll just have to wait and see what happens :P **

**This makes it sound like this is the end, but now I've started writing it all out there are actually quite a few more chapters to come, so without further ado…**

"Danny we need you in here buddy!" Hawkes called from one of the labs where he, Adam and Mac were gathered around a computer screen.

Danny had managed to find his way up his office just following his feet, his brain not focusing much on anything except that he was going to be a dad, an that he had a massive fight with Lindsay. He could only think of what a plank he was sometimes; there she had just made him the happiest guy around, and he had to open his big stupid mouth and pick a fight. _Only you Messer, only you_, he thought.

"Yeah, yeah sure, what you need me to do?" he questioned as he went to join the little group.

"No, we need to show you something!" Hawkes continued as Danny entered the lab, looking distinctly pale. "Hey, Messer…you alright? Everything okay with Lindsay?"

Danny's brain took a little second to realise he was being talked to. "Oh, err… yeah, she's fine." But that look of hurt and anger on her face was still emblazoned on his minds eye.

"You sure, you don't look too good. You want me to take a look at that eye?"

"Nah man, I've had worse, I'm fine, really honestly I am…what is it that you wanted to show me?"

"This," said Mac, indicating the computer screen that Adam was seated in front of. On the screen was a 3D image of the Crime Lab foyer.

"Ok," Adam began, "I was just showing these two that I've recreated the scene from downstairs, put in all the people who were there, all that kinda stuff. These 3 lines here see, are the trajectory paths of the bullets, estimated using surveillance footage, the indents on the wall and the tyre marks outside the building. It's clear from the footage that it was the person in the car who shot at you and then drove off."

"Hey, what do you mean 'shot at you'?" Danny asked, pointing at himself.

Adam looked questioningly up to Mac, as if unsure how much to say, and thankfully Mac continued.

"The trajectories are clear, if you hadn't slightly moved seconds before hand, that first bullet was aimed right at your chest, and the last two as well."

"Couldn't this just be coincidence, I thought it was just random."

"And is it also a coincidence that a man that looks similar to you especially when viewed from behind, so much so it confuses your girlfriend, is killed whilst robbing said girlfriend's apartment? I don't believe in coincidences like this Danny, and I don't think you should either."

"So what are you saying…that 'cause someone's trying to get me, that's why Lindsay's in custody?"

"It is indeed starting to look that way. We're coming up dead ends with all the evidence and have no suspects without rock solid alibis that would want Lindsay or Larry Scott dead. I think this shooting is the key to us understanding our case. And I think answer is you."

"But surely, if someone wanted me dead, you don't just do it in front of a NYPD building, that's just plain…

"Stupid?" suggested Hawkes.

"Yeah exactly…surely someone saw who it was."

"I'm afraid not. All cameras and eyewitnesses report was that it was a dark coloured saloon. Nobody took much notice of it before the shooting, and by the time people risked looking around afterwards, it was gone. Tyre tracks give us nothing, they're just your standard tyre, probably millions in the city, but if we get a suspect we could match the tread wear pattern to a specific vehicle.

Danny sat down on a stool. "Yeah…but…no…who? Who would wanna kill me that badly?"

"Can you think of anyone Danny? Any cases where somebody really took against you?"

"You mean have I ruffled any feathers recently? Sure, loads, but that's my job, that's what I do. But no, no one that stands out with a real vendetta that I can think of."

"An ex girlfriend?" Adam chipped in – he had heard the rumours of the numerous girls Danny had entertained in the past.

"What's that meant to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing – just looking at all angles."

"Well no, not really – never really let anybody get that close of long term enough to care about me enough to want to kill me…at least that's the way I saw it?" Danny looked questioningly at his boss.

"Well, I hate to say it, but that leaves us with only one more obvious line of enquiry – Tanglewood."

To this, Danny just shut his eyes and looked up at the heavens. When would he be free of his past? "I'm going to see Louie, Mac."

"Is that a good idea?" Mac could tell Danny wasn't in the mood to be reasoned with, but wanted to make sure he had thought it through. Danny started up and out of the lab towards the elevator.

"Yeah it is, 'cause I'm gonna sort this out once and for all. If it's to do with Tanglewood, Louie'll have heard something on the grapevine, even if he ain't part of it all no more." _I won't let them hurt my family again_, he thought.

"Okay, but I'm phoning Flack, he'll meet you in the lobby…just don't go alone."

But Danny didn't wait for Flack. He set of by himself, on the subway line he so rarely took now, back to his old neighbourhood.

* * *

"Hey Mac got your message. Where's Danny, I thought you said meet him downstairs?"

"Yeah…he went about 10 minutes ago, I thought he was with you?"

Both men looked at each other and prayed he wasn't about to do something stupid.

"I'll try and phone him," said Flack and he turned his back as an anxious Stella came over and started to discuss some results with Mac.

"_Messer."_

"Hey, where are you?" Flack tried to keep the tone light, but there was no answer. "Hey man, what the hell are you doing, you're not going after the Sassoons I hope."

"_I have to man, I can't live like this anymore, I just can't get away from them and now I have to protect what's mine. Tell Lindsay I'm sorry, will ya?"_

"Dan, what are you saying –"

But he was talking to the dial tone. He tried redialling but Danny just cancelled the call without even picking up. Flack cursed under his breath.

"Hey Mac, we got a problem."

"Yeah we have, we got a suspect and he is nothing to do with Tanglewood."

"What, who is it? I thought all other leads had dried up?"

"They had," began Stella, still looking on edge. "That's why I've spent the morning going back over everything, tying up every loose end, trying to find something to help us."

"And?"

"And well, I thought I'd double check everything, seeing as I had nothing else to go on, and so I started running some of the fingerprints again. And, well, they didn't match up to what was in the reports."

"What do ya mean?"

"Well, I found a match to the anonymous set of prints from the knife. They came back to an internal control sample."

"What, who?"

"In fact, they matched the person who supposedly ran those prints through the first time. He must have been covering his tracks."

"Quit it Stell, who's trying to get Danny?"

* * *

Danny was still stood near the front of his subway cart, too angry, distracted and psyched up to sit down. He'd only been on there for about 15 minutes and he'd already had loads of calls from Flack, all but the first of which he had just cancelled straight away. He was not going back to the lab to get yelled at by Mac.

His phone rang again, and he was just about to totally switch off the phone, when he quickly glanced at the caller ID. "Montana". _What? She can't be, she doesn't have her phone?_ He was utterly confused, but couldn't hang up on Montana, even if there was only the slightest chance of this not being Flack trying to trick him.

"Hey?"

"_O thank God, Danny, is that you?"_ It was Lindsay, and Lindsay talking to him, which decreased Danny's temper somewhat. But her voice was strange, higher than normal, scared.

"Hey, Lindsay, are you alright honey? Listen, I'm sorry about earlier…"

"_No, no shut up Danny, just listen, are you alone?"_

"Yeah, I'm on the subway why?"

"_Just look around for me, is there anyone you recognise?"_

Danny sort of swung round the pole he was leaning on, taking a quick 360 of the situation.

"Nope Linds…why?"

"_Danny, this, all this, it's nothing to do with Tanglewood, Mac says_ –"

Danny never heard the rest. At that second, the whole carriage started to vibrate and jerk, and not just like that normal for a train. Keeping the phone to his ear, but not hearing anything, Danny looked up ahead to the carriages in front. They were being shaken more violently, people being shaken around inside like they were in a tomato ketchup bottle.

Then it came. A crunch, a spark, and a deafening crash. And the world collapsed around him.

His phone was lost somewhere on the floor. _"Danny, what was that, can you hear me….are you still there? Danny… DANNY!"_

**AN: R and R? That people spend they're time doing it always makes smile lots! Thank you x  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for all the reviews – I love you all, they really do encourage me! Hope this chapter works, it was one of the more difficult ones to write. Anyway, I've delayed putting it up since the weekend as I'm not sure about it, but I have to risk it sometime, so here goes… **

"Danny, what was that, can you hear me, are you still there? Danny… DANNY! Stella…there was some kinda noise and he's not answering. I can hear stuff so the phones not dead, but he's not answering!" Lindsay's tearful eyes were pleading with Stella. She was in a total state and her eyes were beginning to get red and puffy, phone still to her ear.

The new fingerprint evidence had totally cleared Lindsay and she was the team's only hope at tracking down and warning Danny so they went and filled her in straight away. When they first got down to the interrogation rooms they had found her slumped onto the table, her body wracked with silent sobs and back jerking up and down with every attempted breath. Stella had managed to calm her down but she wouldn't say what exactly her argument with Danny had been over.

A faint smile graced her face when they told her she was free to go, but once they told her the danger Danny was in she again broke down in sobs, this time with Stella supporting her. When Mac had explained what they needed her to do she didn't stop for an instant in taking back her phone from Flack and dialling the number.

"Stell, what do I do? Danny? Danny _please_ say something if you can hear me, you're scaring me!"

But Stella stood there shocked like the rest of the team. After a while Flack took the phone from Lindsay and listened for himself. "Is that a fire I can here in the background?"

Lindsay gave a tiny shriek of terror, grabbing the phone back to listen again.

"Have you got anymore on his phone's location?" asked Mac.

"Nope, we're still narrowing it down, nothing useful left. But he sounded pissed on the phone, I'd be surprised if he's not on the way back to Yonkers."

"He's going there by train. He said he was on a subway, what if he's trapped in the fire?"

"Calm down Lindsay…we have no reason to believe at this present time that Detective Fletcher has got to him."

"Yeah I still can't believe that…it was that New Jersey bloke the whole time…he's a cop for crying out loud" spat Flack in disgust.

Nobody had a clue what to say, but all silently nodded in agreement. They themselves could not fathom out why Detective Fletcher was after Danny, but the evidence was irrefutable – his fingerprints were on the knife and they'd just had news from Adam in ballistics that it was his gun used in today's shooting.

"_Detective Flack?"_ Flacks radio buzzed into life and broke the silence that had shrouded the room.

"Yeah, speak to me." All eyes in the room were on the radio. Hopefully it would tell them Danny's location.

"_Nothing as yet on the phone but there's been a subway crash, down near 103__rd__ street on the 7__th__ Ave line. It doesn't look good sir."_

* * *

Danny opened his eyes, thanking his lucky stars he was still alive. The train had derailed itself somehow, skidding along the rails for a few hundred, terrifying meters before it crashed into the wall of the tunnel.

He had been thrown to the floor of the carriage, loosing his phone on his way down. Apart from cuts and bruises from the force of impact and shattered glass on top of him, his only real problem was that a part of the side of the train had caved in, pinning his left leg to the floor. He gradually sat up without moving his leg and somehow managed to move the metal, but then let out a gasp of pain as a sharp shock of pain radiated up the back of his leg with the movement. There was a large, deep gash up his leg between the ankle and knee and it was bleeding fairly heavily. He took off his jacket and made a makeshift bandage as best as possible and clenching his jaws together he managed to stand up, just.

It was then that his mind actually started to take in the rest of the situation around him. The air was filled with smoke and dust, so much that he could barely see further than his own carriage. Other people nearby were standing back up too – all shocked, but walking wounded at worst. As reality sunk into everyone down there, voices started rising and panic stricken cries and pained yelps could be heard in all the carriages.

Danny had to get out; he had never been that fond of enclosed spaces, and especially ones filling with smoke. He was not going to go like this. He started to walk but this was a slow process with his leg hurting him. The shooting pain also caused him to take deep breaths and so soot burnt his mouth and throat.

In his carriage there was only him, five women and an old man, all of whom seemed largely unhurt, but were now struggling to find a way out. One of the metal poles had collapsed so he used part of it to smash his way through the window, shouting "stand back" as he did. He first helped the others in his carriage out the window and then followed them. His leg was now beginning to feel numb more than painful so he decided to ignore his injuries until later.

Outside the train the tunnel was a dimly lit, illuminated by the glow of a fire up in the engine and by the now flickering electric lights of the carriages. A few other groups of people had made their way out but they were looking confused as to what to do now. Danny looked around; to his right was a fire – not a good idea to head that way – so he looked left. He couldn't see much that way but the air was clearer and he remembered passing a stop not 3 minutes before the crash.

"Ok, everyone, NYPD, I'm gonna need you all to head towards the back of the train". A few faces turned and saw him, looking relieved. "Come on, let's get moving, all walk down this way, and keep on going until you reach a station. No running please, let's keep it organised. Stay to the side of the tunnel, as far away from the tracks as you can"

A couple started to move but most were too scared, confused, injured, or hadn't heard due to the fire and the shouts from people still inside the train. So Danny started to repeat himself, limping up and down the side of the train to get people moving. "NYPD, come on people, can you please head down passed the back of the train. Anyone who can walk, if you can help someone else please do, keep to the side of the tracks and as low as you can."

People were getting the message, and soon a large group were walking down the tracks. But many people were still stuck in the train, having more difficulty getting out than Danny had had. Danny still had the metal pole in his hand so once those who could had started to leave, he began getting all the other trapped passengers out. He ripped off part of his shirt, wrapping it around his fisted hand holding the pole, as protection from all the glass he would be smashing.

In many of the carriages the people were shouting and screaming for help, trapped inside by twisted metal or seats ripped violently from their original position. For the next 15 minutes or so, Danny, continued his way along the train, helping people carve paths out of the train, and they all soon fled to safety. Some of the younger and fitter people like Danny tried to stay behind and help him, but he insisted they get to safety taking with them those who were bleeding profusely or with broken bones who couldn't make it by themselves.

The front few carriages were actually turned on their sides. Climbing out of the windows would near impossible so Danny worked his way along inside the train, breaking through the doors between carriages.

Danny was feeling seriously shit by now and his head was kind of woozy, but he knew the carriage ahead was the last he needed to get to, so he ploughed on climbing over and under the wreckage that was increasing as he neared the front of the train. At first he couldn't see anybody in there but he decided he better check. He smashed the glass doors between the two carriages and went in. The heat was immense and a few flames were licking their way into the other end of the carriage.

"Hey," Danny spluttered, "anybody in here?"

At first he heard nothing, but then he heard crying. He looked around for a minute then saw her, huddled under one of the seats. A little girl with blonde bunches in her hair, no more than 7 or 8 years old to Danny's reckoning.

"Hey sweetie, its okay," began Danny as he made his way over as far as he could towards the girl, prevented from going all the way by debris. "Its okay, I'm a policeman, and we're going to get you out…come to me sweetie, I'll get you out." The girl looked scared but crawled through a hole to Danny as he sighed in relief.

"Is your mommy in here?"

The little girl, whose tears had ceased with concentration as she crawled, suddenly started crying again. "No…my brother was supposed to bring me back from school, but he shouted at me and said I could go home by myself, and he got off and left me all alone in here. Then it all went boom!" She huddled into the safety of his body. He unwrapped the now unnecessary pole from is hand, and cradled the girl into his chest with his other arm.

_Good, nobody else is here, _he thought. "Now lets get you outta here sweetie." And he began to pick his way out of the carriage and down the train, at last heading to safety.

Carrying the little girl down the train he reached the original compartment he had travelled in, where he planned to jump out the window and escape.

"Hey Messer! You got everyone out?" a voice shouted.

Danny swivelled around, was his mind playing tricks on him? He thought he'd got everyone out. But there, standing in front of him was another NYPD officer and he was sure glad to see another friendly face.

"Hey Fletcher thank goodness, I need ya help to get this little girl out, but then yeah, it looks all clear to me, fire department can take over when they get here."

Danny made to get out the window but he was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his shoulder, forcefully turning him back around.

"Oh no no no, me and you, we're going to have a little talk first," and he lifted his gun, pointing it directly at Danny's forehead.

**AN: After doing some tough research (i.e. watching 'Tanglewood' from S1 again) I think Danny grew up in Yonkers or close to – sorry if I'm wrong! Plus, sorry if the subway mentioned doesn't go anywhere near Yonkers – I've never been to New York and a map from Google was my only way of trying to find an underground line near to Yonkers!**

**R and R please? Make my day!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ok – just a warning – I may have gone slightly OTT with the length of this chapter. It just flowed nicely together and I couldn't see a good place to stop it so thought I'd be kind and give it to you in one massive lump! Enjoy!**

**And big thanks to reviewers as usual, greatly appreciated!**

"_Oh no no no, me and you, we're going to have a little talk first," and he lifted his gun, pointing it directly at Danny's forehead._

"What the hell man, come on, we gotta get outta here, or we're all gonna get killed," he choked out as he cradled the little girl tighter against his chest to try and protect her from the slowly thickening smoke.

"Yeah, well that was the general idea."

"What? Come on Fletch, we can talk outside, I need to take this little girl out." Danny started to move towards the window again but stopped when he heard the other cop's gun click as it was cocked by its owner.

"_You're_ not going anywhere, not this time Messer, I've had it just about up to here with you," he paused, indicating the top of his head, "and you're not getting away with it again, not after everything I've been through."

"What the fuck are you on?" Danny was totally confused by this situation and he even began to wonder if he was concussed. "Are you seriously pointing that gun at me and saying you want me dead?"

"Basically, yes!" he replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Did you crash this train? People could have died!" Danny growled angrily.

"Oh no no, that wasn't me, just a lucky coincidence really. I was already on this train following you, waiting for my opportunity, but now it appears I'm going to be able to make it look like an accident."

"What? How could shooting me point blank be an accident! No way man, just think about it for a second, you're a CSI!" Danny was starting to panic, and was gesturing wildly with his free hand.

"No no, gun's just here for insurance purposes, make sure you behave while I figure out a much more unfortunate and tragic way for you to die down here, want to give our hero a good send off don't we."

"Hero, did you just say?" Danny couldn't help but smirk. "That's a new one, gotta tell ya."

"Like hell it is." Anger was building up in him now, and is voice was slightly strangled as he put on a higher voice to do impersonations. "All I bleeding hear is 'oh he was brave getting the three other cops out of that warehouse last year, and I never once heard him complain about his injuries', or 'he saved Hawkes from drowning don't cha know' and 'he's a great boyfriend, ten times better than a sleaze like you'.

"Hey, leave Lindsay out of this, were you trying to hit on her or something?"

"Yeah, and that was the last straw, I'd been beaten by you too many times, and when she turned me down, that got my goat. I couldn't believe she turned me down for you, even after you've been treating her like shit ever since I got here."

Thing's were starting to click in Danny's head and it didn't look good. Fletcher's gun hand was shaking with rage and his face was turning red under its layer of soot. "Okay, we can talk about this, but let the little girl go, please." She had begun to choke into Danny's chest, and her continued tears had now soaked his shirt.

"Oh so even after you die you look like the hero?"

"No, because she's got fuck all to do with me and doesn't deserve to choke, burn or get crushed to death down here." Danny was looking around at the carriage; it indeed didn't look that stable. "Come on man, she's innocent."

Fletcher thought about his options and his eyes fell on the broken glass behind Danny. "Okay, she can go through the window… get moving, NOW!

"Okay okay," said Danny as he clambered to the window and leant out of it, placing the girl gently on the railway tracks. He considered jumping out too, but didn't want to risk Fletcher then trying to shoot him and hitting her by accident. Not again-not on his watch this time.

"Go find the cops down there sweetie, you'll probably find one called Lindsay, she'll look after you."

The girl looked down the line nervously. Danny added an extra reassuring little smile and pat on the head and she reluctantly started to run off, tears still leaving her eyes.

Then before Danny could turn round Fletcher demanded his gun, which he had no option but to slide across the floor. For a while, the two just stood in silence, Fletcher looking around the carriage for inspiration with his gun still pointing at Danny's head. Danny thought this was probably not best for him, so he decided to keep the man talking, giving time for others to come and help. Alone, he was an easy target who wouldn't exactly be making a speedy getaway anytime soon.

"So, it was you who killed the guy at Lindsay's place? No wonder you've been so awkward round me since. To get back at her for choosing me I suppose?"

"No, I never wanted to hurt her." His voice was calm and collected, but his eyes portrayed deep hate and desperation. "We would've been good together. No, my hotel is just around the corner from hers and I saw, or well thought I saw, you heading to her block so I followed you, him. I was a bit drunk, I'd been in a bar since she'd turned me down earlier that day. So when he went into her building, and her apartment, I was sure it was you. I didn't mean to kill him," he laughed cruelly. "I sound so clichéd, like hundreds of the suspects I've interviewed. After I realised what I did, I roughed the place up a bit, to make it look like a robbery. But it's true, I only meant to give you a bit of a scare and pain, nothing more…at that point!"

"What changed? What made you fire shots at me this morning? That smacks desperation to me."

"Well I was desperate. I overheard that Bonesera woman talking, saying she was going to look over the evidence from the stabbing of Larry Scott, and as I had fixed the evidence – "

"Wait right there – you tampered with evidence? But you're here to help with the Cabbie Killer case, you shouldn't have touched that evidence."

"Yeah, rather clever that bit don't you think, even you wouldn't have come up with that one." Danny could honestly say he was glad about this. "I told Adam Ross that Mac had sent me to help, and I offered to help him with the prints on the knife. I tampered with the computer so any AFIS searches would exclude my prints from the Internal Control Database and so my fingerprints came up as unidentified."

"Yeah, but I still don't get the shooting, why the shooting, why risk it?"

"I had nothing left to loose! I was supposed to be packing and heading back to Jersey, so I couldn't offer to help Bonesera. I knew she would find me out, so at that point I knew I'd be going down for murder. It couldn't really get much worse for me could it? The least I could do was finally get you too. So, I knew you were in the lobby this morning, after I saw you in the elevator, so decided to just….go for it!" His smile was mad. "When I heard on the radio no one was hurt well, I followed you, which leads us to our current predicament." He started looking around gain, eyeing up the other half of the metal pole Danny had previously been holding.

"Well, this isn't the way to end it all, don't get murdering a cop added to your rap sheet, you'd never see the light of day again. Hand yourself in."

"Shut it Messer. You're just trying to save your own skin and that just isn't how it's going to happen."

"Well, if this is it for me, then at least tell me why."

"l already told you why, you could do with coming down a peg or two."

"Nah come on man, who ya tryin' to kid here? I piss people off like that everyday but you're the first to try and kill me."

"I'm not going to talk about it."

"Oh come on man, see it as my final request? Tell me." Danny had to smile, he could tell he was getting to Fletcher, whose attention was now fully back on Danny.

"I said shut it."

"What ya scared of?" he smirked.

"I said shut the fuck up," and he marched across and swiped Danny's head with the gun. Danny's weakened body just fell to the floor, where he remained sitting, the distinct taste of blood in his mouth.

Fletcher started to shout. "You want to know? Fine. I've hated you for years, ever since the first day you walked into the police academy and got that date with Sarah Herriot."

Danny laughed out loud, he had totally forgotten about that.

"Don't you dare laugh at me…I could have had it all if it wasn't for you! I was always second best…with the ladies and in the classroom. I graduate 2nd and I get New Jersey, not your bloody New York cushy job right here in he city. I wanted this job, and you didn't even fucking try, you just breezed through the academy like it was a waste of you're time, I put in the hard slog and what do I get? Fuck all! Now you've got he job, the apartment, the girlfriend, and I still have to live with my parents because I can't find my own place near enough to the lab! You ruined my entire life! If it wasn't for you, I would have been chosen by Mac…I would have been in your shoes today."

"Probably not, I wouldn't have held a grudge all these years or have held you at gunpoint."

"Alright smart arse. But your not going to win this time, your not gonna beat me again."

And with that he picked up the metal pole and ran at a defenceless Danny.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the lab on hearing news of the crash, which they suspected Danny ad been in, the team all gabbed their kits and headed to the parking lot, soon joining the stream of sirens all heading in the same direction. They all sat in silence but Flack and Lindsay were guilt ridden and looked pale, the former for not having been able to stop Danny, and the latter for arguing and not parting with an 'I love you'. Plus, images of Danny lying dead on the floor of railway tunnel were running in a loop through her head. She still had the phone in her hands, the call had still not cut and she wasn't about to do it. Despite only being able to hear background noises, if there was a chance Danny was near his phone and alive, she wanted to know.

Stella was forced to park a block away from the subway station entrance due to a large police cordon and the number of emergency service vehicles around. Flashing his badge, Flack led the way under the police barrier tape, heading towards the fire crew in charge of the rescue operation. Mac and Hawkes and Adam peeled away from the group, veering off to see if CSIs were required yet.

"Hey, what's the situation down there?" Flack asked the Fire Chief.

"Improving, most people seemed to have made it out and are being treated by paramedics in the community hall across the way there". The old, burly fireman pointed to a nondescript grey concrete building, with a hive of activity rushing through its doors and ambulances pulled up alongside it.

"We're still working on reaching the train, just mainly helping the casualties who are coming down to us out. We're still setting up breathing and safety equipment so we can get down the tunnel further."

"Thanks sir, I'm gonna go and check the casualties in the hall, I think one of my guys was down there. Thanks again," and he, Stella and Lindsay started towards the ambulances.

But Flack's last sentence had obviously caught the ear of another fireman, this one younger and taller and looking as if he'd just come up from the tunnel - his red and yellow uniform looking grey.

"Hey, wait there, are you a cop?"

The CSIs stopped and Flack turned and responded, "yeah?"

"Well, if you're looking for one of your guys, well…"

"What, have you seen him, where is he? Stella was anxious.

"No, its just I've talked to a lot of the people off the train when I took 'em to be looked over by EMS. A lot of them said there was a cop down there, telling them to get out and showing the way, going through the wreckage and helping people who were trapped. He probably saved a lot of lives."

"Where is he now? Is he out?"

"Well that's the thing ma'am. I ain't seen him, 'n' everyone I talked to said he was still down there when they left, not looking too good himself by all accounts. Some had tried to stay and help but he sent them out to safety. That's one brave bloke there.

"So where is he?" The fireman had avoided the question.

"Well… well, I been down there, and I know we're not that far down the tunnel yet, but I didn't see no other people coming out from there anymore, and I seen no one fitting the description people gave me. Medium height, lightish hair, glasses, medium build?

Flack slammed his foot into the side of the nearest vehicle in frustration and Stella covered he mouth as he eyes began to water at the implications of the man's words. But Lindsay, who had stood back and said nothing since arriving on scene, wouldn't believe it.

"No, no…," she started to back away, and when the others turned to her with sympathetic eyes, she shouted "NO!" and ran towards the station. _He was not dead_.

Lindsay was sure Flack and Stella were following her but she soon lost them, being smaller and therefore much more able to duck and dive in and out of the crowds.

She made it to the station steps, which she ran down, almost tripping over a young female paramedic cradling a little girl in her arms, sweetly saying, "Ok honey, you'll be okay, we'll go and find this Lindsay."

Lindsay froze…could she mean? Could it mean?

She started back up the steps after the pair.

"'scuse me Miss, which Lindsay are you after?"

"I don't rightly know, its just all this girl keeps saying is that the man said to find Lindsay, heck knows what it means!" she replied with a smile.

Lindsay bent down to the little girl's eye level. "Hey sweetie, who are you looking for?"

"He called me that!" the girl said looking curiously at Lindsay.

"What, sweetie? Who called you that?"

"The man who saved me from the fire. He tried to bring me out but then this nasty man came with a gun came…"

"What's the nice man look like sweetie?"

"Erm… he had really blue eyes and glasses, and this funny beard thingy."

.

_That was Danny alright,_ thought Lindsay, letting a spark of hope ignite in her. "Where is he now, is he still there."

"Yeah, he made me leave him and the gun man, he said to look for Lindsay."

"Thanks," was all Lindsay could utter before she was off down the steps, but Flack caught up with her at the station platform.

"Hey Linds, you can't just run down there," he said spinning her around by grabbing her upper arm.

"That little girl Flack," she excitedly pointed back up the steps. "Danny sent that little girl to look for me; she said someone's pointing a gun at Danny. We haven't got time to stand around and wait!"

Flack looked at Lindsay for a second like she was crazy, but then he started to shout at policemen and paramedics on the platform.

"There's a police officer in trouble down there, we need back up and paramedics, now! And with that, a willing group set off down the tunnel.

As she ran, Lindsay realised her phone was still in her hand and held it up to her ear for one more check. Nothing at first, but then her heart skipped a beat when she heard some movement then eventually a questioning voice.

"Lindsay, you still there?"

"Danny?"

"This call must be costing you a fortune," he half laughed, half groaned.

"Danny! You're there!" She glanced over at Flack, whose relieved face mirrored her own.

"Course I am, didn't think you could get rid of me that easy did ya?" he grinned back.

Lindsay wanted to respond with a witty phrase like 'well I was hoping' but her heart wouldn't let her, she was just too scared. "Danny, where are you, are you hurt?"

"Nah, bit battered but I'll scrub up ok." His light tone and words lost all meaning when he let out a gasp of pain as he tried to move.

"Oh Danny…where are you?" The air was becoming smoky, they couldn't be that far away.

"Linds, err…." His speech was becoming slow and slurred as it took more and more effort to concentrate. "It was Fletcher who err, was after me."

"I know Danny, that's what I was telling you before, but don't worry bout that now, where are you. Hang on…a little girl came out saying you were with a man – is it Fletcher, has he hurt you?"

He laughed, "Good, she made it out, look after her, she was in here a long time, she might be hurt. But don't worry about me, it takes more than him to get me Montana, you should know that."

His accent was becoming more and more pronounced and his tone deeper as he fought with his brain to remain lucid and continued.

"I kinda, well…he tried to attack me, but he obviously didn't get into that many fights as a kid. He looks kinda still Linds, I don't know if he's dead, should I…"

"No Danny, don't try and move, you don't sound good, I'm coming to get you….where are you?"

"No Linds, don't come down here! It's not safe."

"Danny I'm down here already, I _am_ coming to get you and we're bringing paramedics, but I'll be out a hell of a lot quicker if you tell us where you are."

"No, send someone else, it's not safe, I don't want you to get hurt, or the baby."

They were both silent, but Lindsay was panting loudly as she ran. They hadn't left this subject well last time they spoke on it.

"Hey Montana?"

"Yeah?" she replied nervously.

"Thank you. You made me the happiest man in the world today. Just wanted to make sure you knew that, however much of an idiot I was to you earlier."

"I did, and don't speak like that. You'll be able to tell me over and over again when we get out and you getting sick of all the hospital food you'll be eating!"

"Yeah yeah of course but, I just thought you should know." His voice faded at the end of the sentence and Lindsay feared the worst.

"Hey, Danny, you still there? Talk to me 'k? Where are you exactly?"

"Third to last carriage, I think….Linds, I didn't mean what I said earlier…"

"Hey stop talking like this…"

"Shit!"

"What, what is it?" She was now running ahead of the paramedics and was now within sight of the train.

"Oh nothing, just err, the lights have totally gone out, can't see a damn thing."

"I'm nearly there babe, don't worry, were gonna get you out."

"Yeah, yeah good…. And Linds"

"Wait there, I see your carriage, I'm nearly there."

"I, I…"

She climbed in the window to the picture of Danny, bloody and slumped against the opposite wall, illuminated through the smoke in her torch light. He looked exhausted but turned at the noise just as he got the end of his sentence out.

"…I love you."

The grin on Lindsay's face made Danny forget where he was, almost.

"I mean it." Although speaking into the phone still, he's eyes pleaded with hers to believe him. "I've wanted to say it, but I been scared to tell the truth… scared to be vulnerable. But I'll tell ya what…it couldn't hurt as much as my bloody leg does right now!"

Lindsay laughed and stroked the side of his face. Flack then entered to, yelling to the paramedics and policemen to help Danny, and to worry about the unconscious Fletcher later. The last thing Danny remembered were the paramedics strapping him on a body board with Lindsay leaning down and kissing and holding his hand. He grinned back and with that final effort, knowing her was safe with his Montana, he let his eyes close.

**Enjoy? Hope you did! R and R and let me know please? Next chapter's out soon and will be the last one, just a little one to round it all off!**


	13. Chapter 13

Lindsay awoke to the sound of laughter echoing around the room. As her mind started to focus, she heard Flack retelling some story about Sid and the current Mrs Hammerback, with both him and Danny laughing at the punch line. Danny's laughter was hoarse but it was hearty and full of life. _Thank God_. Her eyes started to fill with tears of happiness, but she wouldn't let them fall.

As her limbs reawakened on the cramp sofa in the hospital room, Lindsay turned over on the sofa and stretched, yawning loudly and gaining the attention of the two men in the room.

"Hello sleepy head", Flack started, still laughing, as he looked back at Danny. But his smile soon faded as he noticed the nervous look in his friend's eyes, where moments ago there had been laughter. Flack looked again at Lindsay, who looked both worried for Danny but also anxious about something else. Flack took the sudden silence as his cue to leave.

He stood up, patting Danny on the back and smiling at Lindsay, "I think I just heard Stella" he announced. He rapidly made his escape, closing the door behind him.

The pair left inside alone stared at each other silently for a while longer. Both were afraid to break the spell of being alone with the other, and both visually checking the other was okay.

"Hey," Danny eventually began.

"Hey," echoed Lindsay as she nervously sat up, heart and stomach fluttering with nerves.

"How ya doin'…nothing wrong is there?" He gave a nervous smile, glancing at her abdomen protecting his baby, as she came and stood next to the bed.

"Everything's fine and I'm okay. Really," she added at his still concerned eyes. "How about you…your leg?"

"Back in one piece, I'll survive," he joked, before silence again began to creep across the room.

With her index finger, Lindsay lightly traced one of the lines of stitches now adorning Danny's' forehead, and she began to tremble. The tears that had been threatening to fall as soon as Lindsay had heard Danny awake began to fall uncontrollably. She collapsed sobbing onto Danny's bed, half in fear and half in joy; her head was buried in his chest, breathing in his scent, listening to every breath he took. Danny quickly enveloped her in a massive bear hug and stroked and kissed the top of her head. He needed to be close to her just as much as she needed it too.

"So, what happens now?" Lindsay eventually gathered control of herself enough to tentatively ask his question. But she made no attempt to move away from him, her arms now encircling his waist as one side of her face leaned on his shoulder.

"Linds, I never thought I would say this, to anyone, but I really can't…", Danny looked away but gripped tighter, "I really cant loose you…you and that baby, you're my world, my life and without you…"

"Well, lucky for you don't have to worry bout that."

Danny's head jerked back to look at Lindsay, "But, you said, what you said about not trusting me and not being able to forgive me. I wouldn't blame you, but Linds, I swear…"

"Danny, listen to me…I'm not gonna lie. It's going to be tough, but were going to get through it. We're a team, a family even, and we're going to make it. And from now on, I'm not going to through it in your face every time we have an argument." Determination was clear in her voice.

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts…we either get through this together and come out a stronger couple together, totally over it , or…or…. Well, there is no or…we're going do it and that means learning from mistakes and moving on. I know deep down it was a mistake because you were grieving, and if that keeps coming up, we're never gonna be able to move on. I want to get over it. I meant what I said back in the interrogation room, I can't be without you, and I can't chuck what we have away. But you can't do this again…I couldn't cope with this again."

Danny immediately sat up, keeping the pain away from his face, and looked Lindsay dead on. "Lindsay, it will never happen again…"

"But Danny, you gotta promise me something…"

"Anything, you name it", he replied, gently leaned backwards to look her in the face.

"This is it, you me and the baby. This is us sorted? For always right?"

"For always Linds, it's us against the world. I promise."

"How can I be sure?"

"We take it one day at a time, rebuild our relationship, you're trust in me. I'll do it, do it all, do anything to make you happy, let you feel secure. I'll go all the way for you, with you." He said, resting her head on his chest, so he could again stroke her hair.

* * *

Two hours later, and Flack stood outside Danny's hospital room door, coffee in hand, smiling at the sight before him. Danny, flat on his back, legs splayed. Lindsay sat slumped in the chair, echoing his position almost exactly. Both had their mouths open snoring, both had their hand intertwined with the other's.

Flack had been pacing the corridors endlessly since he had made his quick exit. He stayed close by, in case things got a bit out of hand between the two during a sometimes heated conversation and to divert visitors who came to check on Danny. The couple needed this long overdue conversation.

They had talked for what felt to Flack like a lifetime, but about a quarter of an hour ago, the room had fallen silent and he had dared to open the door, revealing them in their current positions. After gentle persuasions with the nurse who came to check Danny's drip she agreed let Lindsay stay, at least until she woke up. And Flack was glad; he didn't want to be the one to tell Lindsay to leave, especially having just heard how argumentative she could be, but also because she needed her rest. She had been in the midst of a storm these last few days, which was only just beginning to wind itself down.

After they had found Danny everything had gone in slow motion, at least for Flack it had. Following Lindsay into the darkened and smoky train compartment, he had been prepared for a lot, but not that. He had first seen Fletcher, lying deadly still on the floor, crumpled with his arm bending in an odd direction, the hair on his head matted with blood, which probably matched at least some of the blood on the metal pole lying on the floor near to him.

Soon Flack's eyes had found Lindsay, crouching down, and then he saw what she was crouching down in front of. Danny, looking as if he hadn't slept or washed in years, and as if he had just walked out of hell itself. His previously blacked eye was hardly noticeable now compared to his other injuries. Cuts on his head and jaw had blood flowing all over his face, joining the blood that seemed to be spilling over from his mouth. His clothes, or what was left of them, were bloodied and blackened, and barely concealed the red and white marks all over his body, reminiscent of a beating. But then there was his leg, a leg the likes of which Flack never wanted to see again. Danny must've tied his jacket around it to stem the flow of blood, but it was now dripping everywhere, a massive gash down the calf revealing bone and flesh.

And yet he was still aware, still hiding his pain. Flack wondered if anything could break this man, but then realising what had but the sparkle back in his eyes, and he knew he had only one real weakness. Lindsay Monroe.

Flack had quickly regained his senses as the paramedics and cops bustled into the carriage, and he quickly shouted for them to help Danny. _Damn that Fletcher_, he'd thought. He'd get what was coming to him in due course, if indeed he was still alive, but they had something far more important to do right then.

It took all five of the men, with Lindsay holding the torch and guiding the way, to get Danny out of there on a body board. Nobody said anything as they ran down the tracks. Danny hadn't opened his eyes since back on the train, and although the paramedics had done what they could, hospital was where Danny needed to be.

When the group reached the station, the first sight that Flack saw was Mac yelling about the dangers of what they had done. But, as soon as he saw who they had brought back with them and the state he was in, Mac was leading the way clearing a path to the ambulance. He then dragged Flack and Lindsay into an SUV, saying it would let the paramedics work on Danny better and that they could get to the hospital quicker like this and meet the ambulance there.

So that's what they did, the whole team waited at the hospital. All they saw of Danny for 8 hours was him being rushed in, still silent and not moving, as they caught a glimpse from the waiting room where they all sat. Lindsay looked absolutely petrified Flack thought as they sat together, the close proximity to another person giving them both some much needed comfort.

After those long 8 hours it was only Flack and Lindsay that remained, the others having been called back to work. The doctors eventually came in and both detectives visibly sighed in relief when they said Danny was in recovery. Most of his injuries were largely superficial and had just been washed and stitched up, but he was dangerously dehydrated and they'd had to put him under anaesthetic to work on his leg.

After Lindsay had seen him for herself, Flack managed to convince her at last to grab some sleep, even if it was only on the couch in Danny's room. Flack sat faithfully with his friend as he gradually came around. Danny looked a lot healthier now even in his semi-conscious sate, extensive bandaging hiding the true extent of his leg injury. Once Danny had woken from the anaesthetic, Flack had moved to wake Lindsay, but Danny had insisted on just letting her sleep.

When Lindsay had eventually awoken Flack noticed a tense and unfamiliar atmosphere between the couple. Flack had known something bad had happened between the two recently, but both were too private for him to know much more.

But their privacy and long conversation since Flack had escaped the room seemed to have done the trick. Even though they were both asleep he could swear that both their mouths were curling up in a little smile.

Danny's smile was probably aided by the pain killers still being pumped into his body. Flack was still astonished by how well Danny was dealing with the injuries, even just the ones Flack could see. Flack knew he was probably in a lot of pain and discomfort, but he would never show it, it's how Messer dealt with life.

Flack turned to go, but the accidental squeak of his shoe on the shiny hospital floor caused both the room's occupants to wake with a start. Flack turned back apologetically, but smiled when he saw their sleep ridden and initially confused faces turn into broad smiles as they leant in towards each other.

Flack coughed, and laughed as they both blushed, realising for the first time that he was stood there.

Flack walked further in. "Boy am I glad to see you both looking better!"

"Come on Flack, don't go all gushy on me now" Danny joked back.

"Wouldn't dream of it, just I wouldn't know what to with Monroe here if we hadn't found you…driving me crazy she was," he replied with a cheeky smile.

"You've no need to worry Flack…I'm no longer hysterical…plus, I'm gonna be pretty busy looking after this idiot here for a while now anyway."

"Oh really?" Danny questioned.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

"No, just the idiot bit"

"Well, you are, you could have got yourself killed down there."

"As could you," he quipped back, both trying to stare the other down until they both broke out smiling again.

Flack, starting to feel uncomfortable, tried to go back to more neutral territory. "But really, how ya feeling man?"

"Oh yeah, never better!" Danny replied sarcastically causing Flack to laugh, but a quick glance at Lindsay told her that he really did mean it. Things really hadn't been this good for a long time, had never been this honest, and she was so happy. But, with their still secret bundle of joy growing inside of her, she new the best was yet to come.

* * *

_Months after the accident, the following report appeared in the New York Times._

**Detective Jailed for Murder**

A corrupt officer of the NYPD was today sentenced after a series of horrific crimes 8 months ago. Detective Richard Fletcher pleaded guilty to charges, which included Murder, and Attempted Murder of a Police Officer. He has been jailed for life.

The charges were brought against the Detective after a dramatic series of events. His crime spree began with the murder of Larry Scott, 36, in the Manhattan home of Detective Lindsay Monroe. He is also guilty of the attempted murder of Detective Daniel Messer, firstly by attempting to shoot him at the NYPD Crime Lab building and secondly when the case culminated in the dramatic events of the 7th Ave Line subway crash. Although the crash was caused by an accidental derailment of the train, it culminated in the second attempt on the life of Det. Messer, which was thwarted by said Detective himself.

Detective Messer was hailed a hero by many that night, having endangered his own life and, according to the Chief of Police, going 'beyond the call of duty' in his rescue efforts that insured nobody died as a result of that horrific crash.

Piecing together official reports and eye witness accounts of survivors, the seriously injured Messer stayed down in the tunnel for at least an hour helping all the passengers escape. After a short stay in hospital Detective Messer made a full recovery back to health.

And, as a happy ending to this story, Detectives Messer and Monroe married in a quite ceremony in the city last week, 2 months after welcoming their first baby into the world. Sources close to the couple say that they and the baby, Rose Elizabeth Messer, are doing well and are very pleased with the outcome of the case. The couple were seen hand in hand at the sentencing yesterday, but refused to make any comments on the case.

THE END

* * *

**So…the end! Hope you all enjoyed that and it made sense! Please review just this one last time so I know what people thought of the whole story! I would really appreciate it. Thanks**

**And thank you to all the readers who have stuck it out to the end. And lots of hugs to all the reviewers – especially those who did it repeatedly – you really made this the great experience it has been!**

**I have seriously enjoyed writing this…and to anyone who wants to write but hasn't got around to it or are scared (like I was)…I really suggest you do it! It has been so much fun writing and letting my imagination just run.**

**And as for the whole issue of series 5…I'm gonna be reading and writing (if I get inspiration) DL for a while yet….denial is working for me!**


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